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COLONEL  A.  I).  STREIGHT. 


H  I  STORY 


OF    THE 


tfifty-tfii'gt 


Veteran  Vslunteer  Infantry 


A     NARRATIVE      OF     ITS      ORGANIZATION,     MARCHES,     BATTLES 
AND    OTHER    EXPERIENCES  IN    CAMP    AND    PRISON  ; 


FROM     1861    to    1866. 

WITH    REVISED    ROSTER. 


BY  WM.  R.  HARTPENCE, 

SERGEANT    MAJOR. 
HARRISON,  OHIO. : 

PUBLISHED    BY  THE  AUTHOR. 

CINCINNATI,  O. : 
THE    ROBERT    CLARKE    COMPANY,    PRINTERS    AND    BINDERS. 


5| 


s*- 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1894, 

BY  WILLIAM  R.  HARTPENOE, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

AUTHOR'S  PREFACE vii 

INTRODUCTION 1 

Origin  of  Fifty-First 3 

First  sensations 5 

From  citizen  to  soldier 6 

Camp  Streight 7 

First  review  7 

Leaving  Indianapolis 8 

En  route  for  "Dixie" 9 

"I'd  like  to  see  a  live  rebel !  "...  9 

Swearing  them  in 10 

Serenade 11 

On  to  Bardstown 11 

Army  oven 12 

No  two  watches  agree 12 

Camp  Morton,  Ky 13 

Twentieth  Brigade 13 

To  Lebanon  and  Hall's  Gap 14 

Biscuits  and  coffee 15 

Mrs.  Bridge  water' s  turkeys 15 

Vaccinated 15 

Munfordsville — 32d  and  Texans  15 

Mammoth  Cave 16 

No  almanac 17 

Who  stole  the  sheep? 17 

BuchthaPs  chicken 19 

Marker  crossing  the  guard-line  20 

Rank  of  Streight  and  Harker...  21 

First  arrival  at  Bowling  Green.  21 

Col.  Streight's  prediction 22 

The  "skinner" 22 

Mule  beef. 22 

First  gunboat 23 

Misfits 23 

Lots  to  learn 24 

Canteen,  tin-plate,  haversack...  25 

The  bayonet  and  poncho 26 

Pairing  oft 27 

Mule-whackers 27 

First  pay-day 27 

Smallpox.....' 28 

Regimental  band  discharged...  28 
iii 


Page 

"Skirmishing"  for  "graybacks"  29 

Wood-ticks  and  jiggers 29 

Department  of  the  Ohio 30 

Trimming  for  real  service 31 

"No  foraging" 31 

Off  for  Shiloh 32 

"Them  durned  greyhounds  !  "  ..  32 

Organization  of  Sixth  Division  33 

Garfleld  commands  20th  Brig...  34 

Grant  and  Buell 35 

Grant  learns  a  lesson 35 

Pittsburg  Landing  37 

"Grab  a  root !  " 37 

Gen.  Wood's  "good  word" 38 

Johnny  Burk 38 

"Sloshing  around"  at  Shiloh  ...  39 

Second  day  at  Shiloh 40 

Under  the  horses 41 

After  the  battle 42 

Col.  Streight's  letters 43 

Burying  at  Shiloh 44 

Buell  on  the  campaign 44 

Drilling  overdone 45 

"My  whisky!" 45 

Scared  by  a  "quaker"  gun 46 

Before  Corinth 47 

Corinthian  females 49 

"Brung,"  "fotch,"  "tote" 49 

Wood's  report  of  Corinth 49 

Moving  east  51 

luka  Springs 51 

A  hard  march 52 

Arrival  at  Tuscumbia 53 

Sunstroke 53 

Town  Creek — blackberries,  fish  54 

"Rear-open-open  !  " 54 

Bob  Ridley 55 

A  terri fie  storm 55 

At  Mooresville,  Alabama 56 

"Nerve" — pork  and  potatoes....  56 

Fourth  of  July 57 

Expedition  to  Davis'  Gap 57 


IV 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT 


Page 
Streight's  report  of  Davis'  Gap.    01 

rapt.  Writer's  report  ...............    05 

Moving  a  locomotive  ...............     07 

On  the  road  again  ....................    08 

Yelled  at  everything  ...............     08 

Misplaced  confidence  ...............     09 

Denny  promoted  Major  ............     70 

Chaplain  (iaskins'  frog  ............     70 

Muck  fever  .............................     70 

Snuff-rubbing  ..........................     71 

Neuro  p  raver  at  Stevenson  ......     71 

"Syntax"  and  "Prosody"  ........     72 

Arrival  at  Woodville....  ........... 

A  land  of  milk  and  honey  ........ 

"Weasel"  'Monty  Pete"..,  ........ 

She-rebel  —  Turning  the  tables.. 
A  mien-ilia  converted  ............... 

Chase  aftei  Bragg  .................... 

"Johnnies"  ........  .  ...............  •  ..... 

A  truce  ................................... 

Forty  miles'  march  .................. 

Kiley  and  Houzlot  .................. 

Mrs.  Streight's  escape  .............. 

Silver  Springs—  Swearing-oft... 
"Drap  that  cawn  !  " 


72 
73 
74 
75 
70 
70 
77 
78 
79 
79 
83 
84 
Arrival  at  Louisville,  Ky  .........     84 

"Troopees"  ..................  !  ..........  84 

85 
8(5 
80 
80 
87 
87 
88 
89 
89 
89 
89 
90 
90 


Obeying  orders. 

Visit  to  79th  Indiana 

Living  statuary 

Gov.  Morton  visits  the  troops... 

The  "squirrel-hunters" 

Battle  of  Perry  ville 

Bragg  skedaddles 

Reconnoisance  (Harrodsburgh) 

Through  Danville  cemetery 

Skirmish  at  Crab  Orchard... 

Snowed  under  at  Glasgow 

Surmounting  difficulties 

Fiarht  atGallatin 

"Rally  on  the  fence!"  90 

A  Yankee  trick 91 

Under  Rosecrans 93 

New  overcoats  iGov.  Morton  ..     9:: 

'•!{••>>•  is  the  man" i)4 

Mattle  of  Stone  River 90 

Rosecrans'  report  of  Stone  River  98 
Report  of  Cb.  of  Art'y,  Marnett  98 
(ten.  Phil. Sheridan...  99 

Gen.  Crittenden 99 

Gen.  Thos.  .1.  Wood..  100 

Gen.  Milo  Hascall 101 

Oh.  Art'y,  Left  Wing  102 
Col.  Chas.  G.  Harker  102 
Ool.  A.  I).  Streight  ...  105 

V.  Holbrook  killed 109 

John  (Jasper's  narrow  escape...  109 


Martin  Phillippe  killed  ............ 

Capt.  M.  T.  Anderson  wounded 

Sergeant  Denny's  coat-tail  ...... 

Corporal  Clements'  capture  ...... 

Fifty-First  going  into  a  fight.... 

Treachery  of  Ind.  Legislature... 
Reconnoisance  to  Nolinsville... 
Bold  capture  by  Henry  Moore.. 
Lieut.  -Col.  Colescott  resigns  ..... 

Streight  captures  his  captors  ..... 

PROVISIONAL  CAMPAIGN. 
Van  Home's  report  of  the  Raid 
Organization  of  Prov,  Brigade.. 
Gen.  Rosecrans'  to  Hurlburt.... 

(Jen.  Garfield  to  Col.  Straight.. 
Col.  Streight  to  Gen.  Garfield  .. 
To  Palmyra  and  Fort  Henry  ... 
Kllet's  Marine  Brigade  ............ 

Col.  Streight  to  Gen.  Dodge  ..... 

"  "  Mrs.  Streight... 

Gen.  Hurlburt  to  Gen.  Halleck 
Gen.  Oglesby  to  Gen.  Hurlburt 
Gen.  Dodge  to  Gen.  Oglesby  ... 
Col.  Streight  to  Mrs.  Streight... 

"  Gen.  Garfield... 

Gen.  Sweeny  to  Col.  Morton  ... 
To  Eastport  and  Tuscumbia  ..... 

To  Mt.  Hope  and  Moulton  ....... 

Captain  Smith's  command  ...... 

Fight  at  Dtiy's  Gap  .................. 

Death  of  Lieut.  -Col.  Sheets  ...... 

Brutal  vandalism  of  guerrillas.. 
Arrival  at  Blountsville  ............ 

Fight  at  Black  Warrior  River  .. 
The  Brigade  at  Gadsden  .......... 

Major  Vananda's  battery  ......... 

Battle  of  Blount's  Farm!  .......... 

Death  of  Col.  Hatiiaway  ......... 

"        Charles  Me  Williams.. 
The  Brigade  in  ambush  ........... 

Captain  Russell's  vanguard  ...... 

Sin-render  at  Rome....!  ............. 

Operations  elsewhere  ............... 

Rebel  correspondence  .............. 

Prisoners  of  war—  rebel  parole.. 
Sergeant  McClure's  trick  mule 
W.  T.  Jordan's  narrow  escape. 
Settling  an  altercation  ........ 

Wm.  .Jelf  shot  at  Day's  Gap..... 

Anderson  saves  Gibson's  life.... 

Starting  for  Richmond 
Arrival  at  Belle  Isle  ................. 

Back  again  to  God's  country  ... 

Inside  of  Libby  Prison. 

Doom  of  Sawyer  and  Flinn  ..... 

Capt.  Driscoll'and  Lieut  Reed. 
Reducing  the  rations  in  Libby.. 


109 
109 
109 
110 
110 
Ill 
112 
113 
113 
113 

114 

110 

110 

117 

118 

119 

120 

120 

120 

121 

121 

121 

122 

122 

122 

123 

123 

124 

120 

127 

128 

131 

131 

133 

133 

134 

134 

135 

135 

137 

138 

138 

139 

140 

141 

142 

142 

142 

143 

144 

140 

148 

150 

151 

154 

155 


INDEX    OF    CONTENTS. 


Page 

Anderson  and  Skelton  escape...  157 
Stivight  and  Reed  "get  left"....  166 
Council  of  Five — Two  tunnels..  167 
Escape  of  109  Union  prisoners..  109 
Streight  and  S.cearce  get  a\vay..  170 
Statement  of  Captain  Wallick.  172 
Major  Simpson  ...  173 

Mrs.  Abhie  Green 174 

Captain  Ilussell  and  others 174 

Btreight's  letter  from  Wash'ton  179 
Resolution  of  the  rebel  congress  180 
Seventy-third  Indiana  Reg't....  181 

Detachment  at  "the  front" 182 

A  typographic  war  trophy 183 

Moses,  and  his  Baptist  sermon.  183 

The  Morgan  raid 185 

Siege  of  Chattanooga 189 

Battle  of  Missionary  Ridge 190 

Lit  -Col.  Compare^  commands..  193 

Battle  of  Charleston,  Tenn 195 

The  Fifty-First  veteranizes 197 

Testimonial  to  "veterans" 200 

Veterans  at  Indianapolis 202 

Fifty-First  returns  to  the  front.  204 

A  tramp  across  the  country 205 

The  "Thimble  Society"...'. 206 

Nicknames— Petty  and  Jig 208 

2d  Brig.,  2d  Div.,  4th  A.  C 210 

Seperate  Brigade  of  Etowah 211 

Wind  and  rain  storm  in  camp..  211 
Streight  returns  to  the  regiment  213 

Military  railroad  guards 214 

Anonymous  correspondence.....  215 

Letter  from  a  copperhead 216 

The  fight  at  Dalton,  Georgia  ...  218 

Sergeant  Weaver  wounded 220 

Rep  >rts  of  fight  at  Dalton 220 

The  North  Alabama  campaign  222 
Bounty-jumpers—  Patrick  Ryan  225 
Sibley,  wall,  Bell,  "dog"  tents..  231 

The  Hood  campaign 233 

Sergeant  Hurst  killed 236 

Marching  past  the  rebel  army..  237 
Rebel  report— slight  "obstacle"  239 

The  Battle  of  Franklin 241 

Ho:>d's  report  of  Franklin  h'ght  245 
Just  before  the  Nashville  battle  247 
War  songs— Babylon  is  fallen  ..  250 

Co.  K  in  a  very  warm  place 253 

Slein  m ens  and' Sch ultz,  8th  Kas  253 
Battle  of  Nashville— the  plan...  254 
Fine  work  of  6th  Ohio  Battery..  258 
Fifty-First  takes  the  salient  .....  259 
Issuing  beef  in  face  of  battle,...  261 
Co.  G  boys  capture  a  battery....  262 

Battle  of  Overtoil  Hill '. 263 

Terrible  death  of  Lieut.  Tait....  265 


Page 

Joseph  r  leece  and  John  Wells.  265 

List  of  killed  and  wounded 266 

Fifty- First  and  8th  Kansas 267 

Furious  assault  and  repulse 268 

Second  assault— enemy  routed..  269 
Weird  scene  among  the  dead...  269 
President  congratulates  army...  270 

Pin-suit  of  the  fleeing  rebels 271 

Sad  siirht  on  Franklin  field 272 

Duck  River— Condiff  killed 273 

Exploits  and  cordial  reception..  274 
''After  the  ball"— Hood's  report  276 
Gen.  Thomas  rebukes  Halleck.  280 
Tribute  to  "Old  Pap"  Thomas..  281 

In  Alabama  and  Tennessee 283 

1st  Brig.,  3d  Div.,  4th  A.  C 284 

Silver  Lake,  near  Huntsville...  285 

"Battle  of  Silver  Lake" 286 

Fruitless  expedition — Elk  River  287 
News  from  "Old  Bill  Sherman"  289 
Capt.  Hamilton  in  command...  290 

Good-bye  to  Alabama 291 

Experiences  on  rickety  railroad  282 

At  New  Market,  E.  term 293 

Major  Denny  and  Capt.  Glide..  293 

Colonel  Streight  resigns 294 

Bull's  Gap  and  Greenville 295 

News  of  Lee's  surrender 297 

Guer.rilla  Morgan — "like a  hog"  297 

"A.  Johnson,  tailor" 298 

Thanksgiving  day 299 

President  Lincoln's  death 299 

Back  to  Nashville  once  more...  300 

Our  last  grand  review 302 

Gen.  Thomas'  last  order 304 

In  Camp  Harker,  Nashville 305 

W.  S.  Woodsworth  drowned  ...  305 

Beginning  of  dissolution 306 

Newspaper  correspondents 307 

Collins,  King,  Fitch  detailed  ...  308 

Van  Home's  reason  of  it  all 309 

Off  for  New  Orleans 312 

Substantial  gratitude 314 

Arrival  at  Paducah — Willich...  315 
Cairo — Down  the  Mississippi  ...  317 

Points  on  the  way 318 

Baton  Rouge  and  New  Orleans  321 
Fourth  of  July— bath  in  lake...  323 

Ho!  for  Texas! 325 

Out  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 326 

A  gale  off  Galveston,  Texas 327 

Landing  in  Matagorda  Bay 328 

First  immigrants  to  Texas 329 

Dying  of  thirst 330 

Green  Lake— scorching  hot 332 

Victoria — fieas,  dirt,  vile  odors..  336 
Tarantulas  centipedes  scorpions  336 


VI 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 


Page 

Catholocism  and  journalism 337 

Franco-German  war 338 

Red-hot !— Forward  march 339 

A  water-spout  and  a  freeze 340 

Cure  for  hard  times 341 

Anecdote  about  Gen.  Willich...  342 

("amp  Salado,  San  Antonio 343 

The  stomach  of  a  Texan 344 

The  Alamo — Thermopylae 344 

"Breakbone"  fever 340 

Gen.  Wood's  farewell  order 348 

The  feather  that  broke,  &c 349 

Rapid  disintegration 352 

Mustered-out  "at  San  Antonio...  353 
Merry  Christmas  at  Tndianola..  354 

To  New  Orleans  and  Cairo  354 

Ky  railroad  to  Indianapolis 355 


Page 

Payed  off  and  discharged 355 

Recapitulation — engagements  ..  356 
campaigns,  flags  357 

Adjutant-General's  Report 357 

RETROSPECTION  ..  ..359 


ROSTER  OF  FIFTY-FIRST 

Field  and  Staff. 

Company  A 

B  

C  

D  

E  .... 

F  

G 

H 

I  

K.. 


361 
361 
362 
367 
371 
375 
379 
383 
387 
391 
395 
399 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


COLONEL  A.  I).  STREIGHT, 
W.  R.  HARTPENCE,   (Author,) 
GENERAL  J.  A.  GARFIELD, 
GENERAL  T.  J.  WOOD, 
MRS.  A.  I).  STREIGHT, 
LIBBY  PRISON, 
GOVERNOR  0.  P.  MORTON, 
GENERAL  GEO.  H.  THOMAS. 


Opposite  Title. 

"     Preface. 

"     Page  34. 

«     49. 

"•     80. 

'   "  150. 

"  203. 

"  280. 


A\TM.  R.  HARTPENCE 


WHY? 

0  preserve  the  memory  of  the  experiences  through 
which  we  passed  during  the  great  War  of  the  Rebel 
lion,  from  1861  to  I860,  and  to  furnish  our  posterity 
with  the  record  of  our  faithfulness  to  the  old  flag,  that  rep 
resents  the  superior  civilization,  intelligence,  purity  and 
nobility  of  American  institutions,  the  unity  and  integrity 
of  our  Nation,  and  the  unqualified  freedom  which  abides 
in  every  part  of  our  broad  domain  ;  to  provide  a  ready  and 
comprehensive  summary  in  chronological  order,  of  the  or 
ganization  of  the  Fifty-First  Regiment  of  Indiana  Volun 
teers,  its  marches,  battles,  skirmishes,  hardships  and  most 
thrilling  incidents,  which  occurred  during  its  long  service  ; 
is  the  object  of  this  book. 

The  Fifty-First  was  one  of  eighty-eight  regiments  among 
the  thousands  of  distinctive  organizations  in  all  the  mag 
nificent  armies  of  the  United  States,  that  bore  the  distin 
guished  title  of  " VETERAN, "  which  a  celebrated  writer  of 
war  history  has  pronounced  "the  grandest  name  the  war 
originated." 

This  book  also  demonstrates  and  defends  the  title  of 
our  old  commander  to  the  leadership  in  the  wonderful  and 
celebrated  delivery  of  Union  prisoners  from  the  injfamous 
Libby  Prison  through  a  tunnel ;  and  it  forever  quiets  the 
lying  tongues  of  envious  traducers. 

It  lays  no  claim  to  literary  merit.     The  story  is  told  in 

vii 


Vlll  AUTHORS    PREFACE. 

an  easy  conversational  style  ;  and  is  almost  purely  a  colla 
tion  of  facts  obtained  from  old  letters,  personal  interviews 
with  comrades,  and  the  Official  War  Records;  and  is  the 
fruitage  of  years  of  labor.  If  the  accuracy  of  any  state 
ment  is  questioned  ;  the  burden  rests  upon  the  authority 
whence  it  originated  ;  which  has  always  been  the  very  best 
that  could  be  obtained.  If  its  jokes  and  funny  things  seem 
to  require  a  "diagram  ;"  -they  were  understood  and  ap 
preciated  by  the  comrades  with  whose  experiences  they  are 
associated.  They  arc  true!  If  any  comrade  fails  to  find 
proper  mention  of  his  own  individual  exploits,  let  him  turn 
the  muzzle  of  his  mud-gun  toward  himself;  for  he  has  been 
besought  in  many  ways,  and  space  would  have  been  gladly 
given,  for  scores  of  incidents  no  one  but  themselves  knew. 
COMRADES  :  Our  marches  and  encampments  are  over  ; 
our  "swords  have  been  beaten  into  plowshares,"  and  our 
"spears  into  pruning-hooks  ; "  and  we  are  endeavoring  to 
perpetuate  our  work  of  saving  the  Nation,  by  strengthen 
ing  the  union  of  our  great  Republic  along  the  pleasant  lines 
of  peace.  Let  us  ever  preserve  the  honorable  record  we 
made  during  those  eventful  years  ;  and  add  to  its  luster  the 
even  more  glorious  emblazonry  of  the  Cross  ;  that  when  we 
are  mustered  out  here,  we  may  be  transferred  to  that  com 
radeship  that  is  eternal  and  of  unfading  glory. 

W.  R.  H. 


FIFTY-FIRST  INDIANA  REGIMENT. 


'HE  History  of  any  single  regiment  engaged  in  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion,  may  seem  unimportant,  and 
easy  of  accomplishment.  But,  the  vast  results  of 
that  awful  struggle  between  loyalty  and  treason  de 
pended  on  the  faithfulness  of  each  individual ;  and  if  a 
record  were  made  of  each  incident  on  which  the  outcome  of. 
movements  of  both  armies  in  some  way,  direct  or  remote, 
was  contingent,  "the  world  itself  could  not  contain  the 
books  that  should  be  written." 

A  battle  of  any  considerable  magnitude,  is  so  exten 
sive,  that  no  one  man's  description  of  it  can  convey  an 
adequate  idea  of  what  it  is  like.  A  battle  in  which  from 
•25,000  to  45,000  men  on  each  side  are  engaged,  covers  an 
immense  area  of  ground,  embracing  usually  hills,  plains, 
woods  and  hollows  ;  so  that  the  movements  on  one  part  of 


2  FIFTY- FIRST     INDIANA     RKUIMKNT. 

the  field  may  be  unseen  and  unknown  to  those  who  light 
on  another  part;  the  sudden  changes  in  the  conflict  resem 
bling  the  shifting  scenes  of  a  panorama;  in  short,  110  one 
ever  saw,  nor  ever  will  see,  the  whole  of  a  battle.  For  this 
reason,  the  exact  truth  about  any  conflict  of  our  war,  or 
any  considerable  operation,  whether  on  the  march  or  in 
camp,  is  hard  to  get,  and  can  only  be  obtained  by  taking 
the  statements  of  a  large  number  of  reliable  persons  who 
were  actually  present ;  and  even  then  great  care  and  dis 
cretion  must  be  observed  in  harmonizing  the  various  state 
ments,  keeping  in  mind  the  fact  that  each  witness  made 
his  observation  from  a  different  standpoint,  and  that  dif: 
Terences  as  to  details  may  refer  to  different  situations  on 
the  same  field.  The  account  of  any  soldier  is  of  value, 
according  to  his  reliability  for  accuracy  and  veracity. 

No  State  in  the  Union  was  more  prompt  in  furnishing 
men  and  money  than  was  Indiana,  nor  no  troops  more 
faithful,  zealous  and  true.  Many  of  the  most  noted  gene 
rals  of  the  War  went  from  Indiana.  There  were  Wallace, 
Hovey ,  Davis ,  Meredith ,  Reynolds ,  Kimball ,  Crittendeii , 
Foster,  Cruft,  Harrow,  Colgrove,  Miller,  Cameron,  Veach , 
Coburn,  Hascall,  Wilder,  Grose  and  many  others.  There 
were  besides,  ten  thousand  in  the  ranks,  equally  capable, 
splendid  fighters,  and  only  lacking  the  opportunity. 

The  success  that  attended  the  Union  forces  during  the 
first  few  months,  in  which  some  Indiana  regiments  figured 
somewhat  favorably,  caused  a  general,  impression  that  the 
war  was  about  over,  and  the  Union  was  saved.  The  Bull 
Run  disaster,  however,  convinced  every  intelligent  citizen 
of  the  great  need  of  more  soldiers,  and  of  the  fact  that  the 
Rebellion  was  not  going  to  be  "put  down  in  ninety  days." 
As  the  bloviating  confidence  of  the  South  increased,  the 
faith  of  the  North  weakened.  Treasonable  organizations 
sprang  up  among  our  own  homes,  and  discouraging  letters 
from  relatives  and  neighbors  flooded  the  mails.  In  all  this 
disheartenmeiit,  Governor  0.  P.  Morton  never  lost  his  self- 


TIIK    ORGANIZATION.  3 

possession,  nor  his  confidence  in  the  ultimate  subjugation 
of  the  traitors.  This  he  sought  continually  to  impart  to 
his  soldiers,  whom  lie  never  distrusted,  and  who  loved  and 
honored  him  with  a  devotion  never  accorded  by  them  to 
any  other  man. 

The  three  months'  regiments  were  reorganized  for  the 
three  years'  service  ;  and  the  winter  of  1861-62  found  most 
of  them  in  the  field. 

It  is  quite  impossible,  at  this  distance  from  the  War, 
when  a  large  majority  of  those  who  lived  till  the  close,  and 
were  discharged  with  the  regiment,  have  "passed  over  the 
river,"  and  are  now  mustered  with  the  "silent  majority," 
and  the  records  in  the  Adjutant  General's  office  at  Indian 
apolis  have  been  so  thoroughly  destroyed  or  scattered,  to 
obtain  even  a  brief  biographical  sketch  of  anything  like  a 
considerable  number  of  the  comrades,  if  there  were  room 
in  our  limited  space  to  insert  them  in  these  pages.  What 
ever  is  omitted  must  be  supplied  as  well  as  may  be  from 
the  Adjutant  General's  Report. 

At  the  request  of  Governor  Morton,  Abel  D.  Streight, 
a  book  publisher  in  Indianapolis,  recruited  the  Fifty-First 
Regiment  of  Indiana  Volunteers.  He  was  commissioned 
Colonel  of  this  regiment,  September  4,  1861,  and  the  regi 
ment  was  organized  in  Indianapolis,  October  11,  though  it 
was  not  mustered  in  until  December  14.  Colonel  Streight 
was  joined  on  September  27,  by  J.  G.  Doughty,  a  printer 
of  Indianapolis,  who  was  commissioned  Quartermaster; 
and  October  9,  by  Wm.  H.  Colescott,  of  Shelby ville,  com 
missioned  Major.  October  11,  nearly  all  of  the  original 
line  officers  were  commissioned,  their  date  of  muster  being 
December  14,  with  a  few  exceptions.  Benj.  J.  Spooner,  of 
Lawrenceburg,  was  the  first  Lieut. -Colonel  of  the  Fifty- 
First,  the  date  of  his  commission  being  December  4,  1861. 
He  resigned  June  16,  1*862,  to  accept  a  commission  as 
Colonel  of  the  83d  Indiana.  He  was  a  brave  and  efficient 
officer,  and  led  his  command  gallantly  through  many  hot 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

conflicts  ;   losing  an  arm  in  the  bloody  charge  on   Kenesaw 
Mountain,  Georgia,  on  the  morning  of  June  27,  1864. 

Company  A  was  made  up  chiefly  from  North  Salem 
and  Brownsburg,  in  Hendricks  county,  with  a  few  from 
each  of  the  towns  of  Pittsboro,  Danville  and  Lebanon. 

Company  B  was  made  up  mostly  in  Newton  county, 
Kent  Station  furnishing  the  largest  number,  and  Morocco, 
Freedom,  Pilot  Grove  and  Indianapolis  furnished  "each  a 
small  number. 

Company  C  found  most  of  its  members  in  Hendricks 
county  ;  New  Winchester,  Brownsbiirg,  Li/ton  and  Pitts 
boro  furnishing  the  bulk  of  them. 

Company  D  resulted  from  general  work  in  Hancock 
and  Johnson  counties  ;  Greenfield,  Fairfield  and  Franklin 
supplying  the  greater  number. 

Company  E  secured  its  complement  chiefly  in  Kiiox 
and  Brown  counties;  Vincennes,  Wheatland,  Nashville, 
Bruceville,  Oaktown  and  Busseron  contributing  in  propor 
tion  with  the  order  of  their  mention. 

Company  F  went  out  from  Shelby  county  ;  Shelbyville 
sending  at  least  one-half;  while  Morristown,  Marion,  Fail- 
land  and  Marietta  wen-  all  well  represented;  with  a  small 
contingent  from  Indianapolis. 

Company  (J  was  made  up  in  Peru,  Miami  county  ;  and 
in  addition  to  the  regimental  band,  fully  one-half  of  that 
company  went  from  that  city.  There  was  also  a  fair  rep 
resentation  from  Mexico,  in  the  same  county ,  and  from  the 
city  of  Logansport . 

Company  H  found  one-half  of  its  members  in  Bruce- 
ville,  Kriox  county  :  the  balance  being  about  equally  made 
up  from  Yincennes,  Wheatland  and  Edwardsport,  in  the 
same  county. 

Company  1  drew  chiefly  for  its  make-up  on  the  south 
ern  part  of  Hancock  county,  and  the  northern  part  of 
Shelby  county;  London  and  Fail-land  contributing  the 
major  part,  with  a  fair  donation  from  Indianapolis. 


"THREE  HUNDRED  THOUSAND  MORE.  5 

Company  K  was  a  sort  of  "ground-hog  necessity"  to" 
the' completion  of  the  regiment*  and  brought  together  some 
of  the  best  soldiers  from  every  part  of  the  State  ;  Putnam, 
Hancock  and  Knox  counties  making  the  best  showing  in 
numbers;  especially  Oak  Station,  in  Knox  ;  with  six  or 
eight  from  eacli  of  the  towns  of  Greenfield,  Carpenters ville, 
Curry ville,  Wheatland  and  Linton.  Many  of  these  served 
in  the  7th  Indiana  Regiment,  in  the  three  months'  service. 

Each  company  had  more  or  less  from  every  part  of  the 
State  ;  Company  H  being  the  nearest  to  an  exception,  and 
Company  I  being  badly  scattered.  It  is  possible  that  this 
fact  created  a  necessity  for  each  to  stand  by  the  other,  that 
ripened  into  a  fraternity  that  was  not  excelled,  and  rarely 
equalled,  by  any  other  regiment  in  the  field. 

When  the  President  called  for  300,000  more  men,  the 
heart  of  every  loyal  Hoosier  leaped,  and  his  patriotic  zeal 
was  inflamed  to  an  almost  passionate  eagerness  to  enlist. 
Hundreds  of  fathers  and  mothers,  in  selfish  affection,  had 
exacted  a  promise  from  dutiful  sons,  before  leaving  home, 
tli at  they  would  not  enlist  without  their  parents'  consent. 
But  the  sounds  of  the  fife  and  drum,  and  the  glare  of  brass 
1  nit  tons  shut  out  all  other  sounds  and  sights,  drowned  the 
voice  of  filial  duty,  and  swept  the  boys  clear  off  of  their 
feet.  The  blue  uniform,  with  its  warlike  belongings,  were 
simply  irresistible.  When  the  word  went  home  that  the 
boy  had  enlisted,  a  season  of  grief  swept  over  the  family, 
and  their  hearts  were  torn  as  though  death  had  suddenly 
entered  the  fold.  But  with  a  philosophy  born  of  patriot 
ism,  the  father  took  up  the  son's  burden  on  the  farm  or  in 
the  shop  ;  while  mother  and  sister,  who  could  not  go  to 
war ,  found  many  ways  to  help  at  home .  They  too  buckled 
on  the  armor,  and  were  faithful  through  all  the  terrible 
ordeal.  Among  sweethearts  there  was  a  sudden  crystal 
lization  of  love  that  years  of  "billing  and  cooing"  could 
not  have  accomplished. 

The  cause  of  the  war,  and  its  progress  up  to  the  date 


6  FIFTY- FIRST     INDIANA     KK<;IMKNT. 

of  the  enlistment  of  the  Fifty-First  Indiana,  is  passed  over, 
as  well  as  the  individual  experience  of  each  comrade  in 
leaving  home  and  joining  the  regiment,  as  such  details 
would  be  quite  voluminous,  and  would  possess  little  inte 
rest  to  the  average  reader.  Very  few  of  the  old  boys  are 
left  to  read  this,  and  it  must  be. comprehensive  enough  to 
interest  others. 

We  were  all  burning  with  eagerness  to  encounter  the 
rebels  ;  and  the  Union  army  was  only  awaiting  our  arrival 
to  settle  the  matter  at  once  and  for  all.  ,  Everything  and 
everybody  were  at  high  pressure  ;  and  the  best  blood  of  the 
State  was  concentrated  in  the  northeast  part  of  Indianap 
olis,  on  the  commons  adjoining  Prof.  R.  T.  Brown's  home, 
the  camp  line  bounded  on  the  west  and  south  by  Central 
and  Christian  Avenues. 

When  the  writer  arrived  at  Indianapolis,  in  the  fall  of 
18til,  he  applied  to  W.  R.  Holloway,  who  was  at  that  time 
Governor  Morton's  private  secretary.  The  two  young  men 
had  been  printer  apprentices  in  the  same  town,  and  the 
fresh  aspirant  for  military  honors  and  experiences  relied 
greatly  on  the  private  secretary's  judgment  in  directing 
him  to  the  exact  spot  where  glory  awaited  him,  and  where 
his  valuable  services  were  most  needed,  and  would  be  best 
appreciated.  The  recruit  was  introduced  as  the  new  drum 
major  ;  but  as" there  was  no  special  use  for  such  a  luxurious 
adornment,  and  the  regulations  didn't  call  for  it,  he  soon 
found  his  name  on  the  roll  among  the  H's,  in  the  regular 
way,  and  was  paired  off  with  Rev.  Win.  Hancock,  a  sort  of 
back  number,  who  had  figured  among  the  Center  township 
worshipers  as  a  local  exhorter,  and  who  soon  found  a  place 
in  a  hospital,  and  finally  in  the  Corps  d'Afrique. 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  describe  the  transformation 
from  the  condition  of  an  ordinary  citizen  to  that  of  a  full- 
fledged  soldier ;  how  we  stood  before  the  brilliant  young 
West  Pointer,  Major  T.  J.  Wood,  and  worked  our  arms, 
wriggled  our  fingers,  champed  our  teeth  and  marched  back 


IN    CAMP    STRKKillT. 


and  fortli  a  i'ew  paces,  to  demonstrate  our  physical  perfec 
tion.  It  is  a  pity  the  Pension  Department  could  not  have 
been  there.  It  would  have  saved  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in 
hunting  up  evidence  they  might  have  gathered  there  in  a 
few  minutes.  Then  we  held  up  our  hands  and  were  sol 
emnly  sworn  to  defend  "the  Constitution  and  the  flag.' 
The  climax  of  our  fondest  dreams  was  reached  when  we 
donned  the  blue  uniform,  and  stood  in  the  full  panoply  of 


war . 

•>  •> 


CAMP    "STREIGHT. 

One  of  our  first  experiences  was  a  visit  from  our  home 
folks,  who  were  accompanied  by  huge  baskets  loaded  with 
bread,  roast  beef,  chicken,  cake,  butter,  pies,  doughnuts 
and  jellies.  They  were  always  welcomed  with  yells  of  de 
light,  and  were  saluted  with  yells  on  their  departure.  All 
the  boys  were  well  provided  with  lungs,  and  it  seemed  as 
natural  for  them  to  yell  at  everything  that  excited  them, 
as  it  was  to  breathe  or  eat. 

Our  camp  was  a  model  of  regularity.  Each  day  the 
quarters  were  carefully  policed,  and  our  bunks,  resembling 
mortar-beds  filled  with  straw,  were  well  aired  and  "made 
down."  Our  parlor,  kitchen  and  bedroom  furniture  par 
took  of  the  same  elegance  and  convenience,  being  selected 
more  for  use  than  ornamentation. 

We  had  a  continual  and  burning  desire  to  perfect  our 
selves  in  the  manual  of  arms,  and  a  terrible  concern  about 
the  exact  position  of  our  feet,  in  our  military  maneuvers. 
There  was  also  a  consuming  dread  lest  the  war  would  be 
over  before  we  had  an  opportunity  to  exhibit  our  prowess. 
We  got  over  all  this  in  time. 

OUR    FIRST    REVIEW. 

On  Thursday,  November  21,  the  Fifty-First  took  part 
in  a  grand  review  in  Military  Park,  a  few  squares  north 
west  of  the  State  House.  There  were  eight  regiments  of 
infantry,  one  thousand  cavalry  and  two  batteries  of  light 


FIFTY- FIRST    INDIANA     RF<iIMKNT. 

artillery.  The  Fifty-First  received  praise  for  its  splendid 
appearance  and  for  the  best  drill.  We  were  very  proud  of 
this  ;  but  our  souls  were  far  from  happy.  We  yearned  for 
scenes  of  carnage,  and  would  not  be  comforted.  Bin  it 
came  at  last. 

LP:AVING  INDIANAPOLIS. 

At  4:  35  p.  M.,  Monday,  December  16,  1861,  we  left- 
Indianapolis  for  "the  front."  One  train  carried  the  bag 
gage,  horses  and  wagons,  and  two  other  trains  carried  the 
soldiers.  The  Indianapolis  Journal  of  next  morning  had 
the  following : 

o 

"The  people  of  Indianapolis  have  never  seen  a  more  complete  mili 
tary  pageantry  than  that  exhibited  in  our  streets  yesterday.  Early  in 
the  day  the  51st  regiment,  Col.  Streight,  struck  tents  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  city,  and  marched  in  true  army  style  to  trains  on  the  Madi 
son  and  Indianapolis  Railroad,  which  were  in  waiting  to  convey  them 
to  the  Ohio  River,  over  which,  by  steamboat,  they  expect  to  be  conveyed 
to  Louisyille  or  some  other  prominent  point  in  Kentucky.  The  regi 
ment  marched  in  complete  order,  and  elicited  the  admiration  of  every 
body.  It  has  always  been  justly  credited  for  sobriety,  and  its  movements 
were  marked  by  that  decorum  which  is  ever  characteristic  of  good  and 
true  men.  The  regiment  marched  in  solid  columns  through  our  streets 
to  the  depot,  followed  by  its  baggage  wagons  and  the  guard  detailed  to 
pick  up  stragglers.  It  got  aboard  the  cars  in  good  order,  and  departed 
without  any  unnecessary  fuss  or  parade. 

The  departure  of  Col.  Streight's  infantry  *  was  more  warlike, 
systematic  and  business  like  in  appearance  than  any  demonstration 
heretofore  witnessed  in  this  city.  We  accent  this  display  as  an  evidence 
that  the  art  of  war  is  being  rapidly  learned  by  our  people,  and  that  those 
who  have  had  an  opportunity  of  practising  it,  even  on  the  peaceful  and 
unstained  fields  of  Indiana,  have  so  far  progressed  as  to  be  able  to  do 
effective  and  substantial  service  as  soon  as  opportunity  offers." 

At  Franklin,  we  were  delayed  an  hour,  during  which 
we  were  surrounded  on  the  platform  by  scores  of  beautiful 
girls,  to  whom  the  boys  immediately  made  love,  and  then 
left  the  darlings  in  sadness  and  tears.  Our  trip  was  free 
from  mishaps,  and  was  attended  with  much  pleasure.  We 
reached  North  Madison  about  11  o'clock  that  night,  and 
disembarked  from  the  cars.  The  moon  shone  brightly, 
and  the  night  was  lovely.  Mr.  Branham,  superintendent 


EN     ROUTE     FOR    "DIXIE."  9 

of  the  railroad,  conducted  us  from  the  top  of  the  incline 
to  the  wharf,  where  we  arrived  about  2  o'clock  next  morn 
ing.  In  the  meantime  the  baggage  train  was  run  down  the 
incline. 

EN    ROUTE    FOR    "DIXIE." 

At  Madison  we  embarked  on  the  steamers  "City  of 
Madison"  and  "Lancaster,"  the  right  wing  occupying  the 
former,  and  the  left  wing  the  latter.  The  equipage,  con 
sisting  of  65  horses  and  35  wagon  loads  of  quartermaster's 
stores,  was  stowed  among  the  decks  of  the  vessels.  At  3 
p.  M.  we  were  ready,  and  sailed  for  Louisville.  We  had 
gone  but  a  short  distance,  before  the  fog  became  so  dense, 
that  we  were  obliged  to  lay  to  until  nearly  9  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  18th,  when  it  cleared  away,  and  we  arrived 
at  Louisville  at  12  :  30. 

In  three  hours  we  were  prepared  for  the  march.  By 
that  time  several  thousands  of  citizens  had  gathered,  to 
welcome  us  to  their  city,  and  many  were  the  invitations  to 
supper.  There  were  also  many  solicitations  from  promi 
nent  citizens,  to  march  through  certain  parts  of  the  city; 
but  it  was  decided  to  take  the  shortest  route  to  the  camp. 
This  took  us  through  the  center  of  the  city  for  nearly  two 
miles ,  during  which  there  was  one  continued  ovation ,  flags 
and  handkerchiefs  waving,  and  cheers  ringing  from  every 
side.  We  halted  just  below  town  ;  naming  our  first  camp 
on  the  enemy's  soil,  after  Adjutant  Ramsey. 

On  the  .way,  a  comrade  of  Co.  F,  contemplating  our 
hospitable  reception,  exclaimed,  "By  gracious  !  we  are  on 
the  enemy's  soil !  I'd  like  to  see  a  live  rebel."  Instantly 
a  full-muscled  dame  of  near  two  hundred  weight  strode  to 
the  front,  and  cracking  her  fist,  replied,  "Well,  sir,  here's 
one  ;  what  do  you  want?"  His  curiosity  was  satisfied. 

Next  morning  we  were  assigned  to  Gen.  E.  Dumont's 
brigade,  Department  of  the  Ohio.  Everybody  was  drilling 
vigorously  ;  and  it  was  confidently  expected  that  in  less 
than  forty  hours  we  would  be  in  the  very  heat  of  battle . 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Our  camp  presented  a  very  military  appearance  that 
first  morning  in  "Dixie."  The  monster  Sibley  tents  were 
spread  out  in  all  their  conical  symmetry,  while  the  various 
designs  drawn  on  them  with  charcoal,  gave  undoubted  in 
dication  of  the  bloodthirsty  warriors  congregated  beneath 
their  shelter.  There  were  such  inscriptions  as  "Bengal 
Tigers/'  "Bull  Pups/'  "Wild  Cats/'  and  a  score  of  other 
names,  equally  terrifying. 

The  first  evening,  the  regimental  band  went  to  town 
and  serenaded  George  D.  Prentice,  editor  of  the  Journal, 
for  which  they  received  distinguished  mention  next  day. 

SWEARING     THEM     IN. 

The  bravery  of  some  of  the  boys  was  equaled  only  by 
their  impudence.  The  next  morning,  as  soon  as  it  was 
known  where  we  were  going,  and  while  the  stars  were  still 
twinkling  in  the  sky,  Logan  Russell,  0.  F.  Brown  and  J. 
P.  Smith,  the  Tennessee  mountaineer,  started  on,  with  a 
view  to  foraging,  (for  that  spirit  manifested  itself  in  some 
at  the  very  start,)  and  for  whatever  experience  they  might 
encounter.  They  soon  met  a  lot  of  milk-and-water  rebels, 
whom  they  asked  if  they  were  "Union"  or  "secesh." 

"Neutral,"  was  the  reply. 

"Here,"  said  Russell,  "we  are  the  advance  guard  of 
twenty  thousand  Union  soldiers  ;  we  want  you  to  holler  for 
Lincoln." 

"0,  no  ;  we  cain't  do  thet." 

Three  guns  came  down  promptly,  and  their  muzzles 
were  directed  straight  at  the  "neutrals."  With  firm  tone, 
Logan  then  said  : 

' '  Holler  for  Lincoln  !     Hats  off ! " 

In  very  feeble  voices  came  "Hurraw  fer  Lincoln  !" 

"Louder!"  shouted  the  Union  leader. 

-/fnrmw  fer  Lincoln!"  yelled  the  Kentuckians  ;  after 
which  they  were  permitted  to  pass. 

When  the  command  came  up  that  night,   our  heroes 


ON    TO    BARDSTOWN.  11 

received    a  reprimand   that  kept  them   in  ranks  ever  after. 

That  day  we  marched  out  ten  miles  on  the  Bardstown 
pike,  camping  in  a  lovely  grove.  As  we  went  to  supper,  a 
good  Union  lady,  who  had  been  considerably  enthused  by 
the  music,  as  we  filed  off  of  the  road  into  camp,  sent  over 
a  jug  of  milk  for  the  band.  There  were  among  the  band 
two  violins,  a  flute  and  clarinet.  With  the  addition  of  a 
cornet  and  tenor  horn,  this  sextette  made  a  very  creditable 
orchestra  ;  and  an  hour  or  two  after  supper,  they  went  to 
the  house  and  serenaded  the  family.  They  were  invited 
in,  and  enjoyed  a  rare  treat  of  cakes,  pies  and  raspberry 
cordial.  After  leaving  the  residence,  they  were  followed 
out  to  the  "big  road"  by  a  number  of  darkies,  who  were 
nearly  wild  for  some  music  ;  and  when  the  orchestra  began 
to  play,  they  began  to  dance,  keeping  it  up  for  some  time, 
and  describing  some  of  the  most  fantastic  figures. 

On  Saturday,  March  21,  we  marched  21  miles,  going 
through  Mt.  Washington  and  Bardstown,  proceeding  to 
Camp  "Spooner,"  (or  Camp  "Mud,"  as  some  called  it,) 
three  miles  east  of  the  latter  town. 

As  we  marched  down  the  main  street  of  Bardstown,  a 
soldier  seeing  a  little  darkey,  with  his  head  stuck  over  the 
gate ,  inquired  if  he  could  get  some  milk  ;  at  the  same  time 
presenting  his  canteen  and  a  dime . 

' '  Deedy  y o  kin , ' '  replied  the  boy  ;  and  grasping  both 
canteen  and  money,  he  disappeared  like  a  flash  ;  returning 
in  a  very  short  time  with  the  milk,  which  the  soldier  took 
with  that  confidence  that  was  universally  reposed  in  the 
loyalty  of  the  negro.  This  soldier  had  been  raised  in  the 
city,  and  had  not  acquired  a  fondness  for  buttermilk.  So? 
when  he  discovered  the  contents  of  his  canteen,  he  made  a 
remark  that  would  not  do  to  put  in  here.  His  captain, 
who  had  served  in  Mexico,  advised  him  to  cork  his  vial  of 
wrath,  and  his  canteen  also,  till  both  were  needed.  Along 
toward  night,  when  he  got  very  thirsty,  that  buttermilk 
tasted  delicious  ;  and  from  that  time  on  he  has  been  very 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    RECilMKXT. 

fond  of  that  refreshing  beverage.  This  does  not  apply  feo 
everything  we  learned  to  eat  or  drink  in  the  army. 

A  heavy  rain  fell  on  Sunday,  making  it  exceedingly 
difficult  to  get  about.  Here  we  experienced  our  first  real 
hardship;  but  we  did  not  stay  long,  moving  on  Tuesday, 
to  the  farm  of  Mr.  Grigsby,  where  we  fared  much  better, 
receiving  every  attention  that  gentleman  and  his  wife  and 
handsome  young  daughter,  Ella,  could  bestow. 

Next  day,  Wednesday,  was  Christmas.  Mow  little  \ve 
thought  that  we  should  pass  the  fifth  anniversary  of  that 
holiday  on  the  stormy  beach  at  the  southern  extremity  of 
far  a\vay  Texas.  Shortly  after  going  into  camp,  one  of  the 
boys  captured  a  'possum,  which  we  skinned  and  roasted 
for  breakfast  next  morning.  "Possum  fat  am  good." 

THE    ARMY    OVEN. 

At  this  point  our  quartermaster  furnished  us  with  an 
.•mny  oven,  a  sort  of  sheet-iron  box  on  wheels  ;  that  doubt 
less  netted  the  inventor  a  good  round  sum,  but  ought  to 
have  sent  him  to  a  penitentiary.  It  was  a  most  withering 
failure  and  a  fraud.  It  never  was  on  hand  when  needed  ;  ' 
and  when  it  did  appear,  it  was  so  rusty  and  dirty,  that  it 
would  have  turned  the  stomach  of  a  william-goat.  Our 
headquarters  cook,  Charley,  roasted  the  'possum  for  us, 
and  made  one  or  two  batches  of  biscuits  in  our  oven  ;  and 
we  never  saw  it  afterwards. 

Although  flour  was  rarely  issued,  we  got  some  occa 
sionally.  Then  we  would  have  biscuits  and  pies,  baked  in 
the  skillet-oven,  or  flapjacks,  made  in  the  frying-pan.  In 
this  latter  exercise,  we  acquired  great  skill  in  turning  the 
broad  disks  of  leathery  batter  in  the  air,  seldom  miscalcu 
lating  the  distance  one  of  them  would  gravitate  while  it 
described  a  half-revolution. 

NO    TWO    WATCHES    AGREE. 

While  we  were  camped  at  this  place,  the  writer  was 
sent  to  town  on  an  errand,  his  pass  being  good  till  4  p.  M. 


TWKNTIKTM     IJIIKJADK.        HAU/S    (JAP.  13 

As  no  two  watches  came  anywhere  near  agreeing,  and  the 
corporal  of  the  patrol  that  overtook  him  on  his  way  out  of 
town,  having  his  watch  fifteen  minutes  too  fast,  the  writer 
was  marched  down  to  the  jail,  where  he  might  have  stayed 
all  night,  but  for  the  kindness  of  his  keeper,  who  took  him 
across  the  street  to  General  Wood,  commanding  the  post, 
who  released  the  prisoner,  and  rebuked  the  patrol. 

On  New  Year's  day,  we  left  our  friendly  camp,  on  the 
Grigsby  farm,  marching  through  Bardstown,  to  "Camp 
Morton,"  about  four  miles  south.  Our  command  was  now 
known  as  "20th  Brigade,  Department  of  the  Ohio,"  Col. 
J.  W.  Forsythe,  64th  Ohio,  commanding,  and  consisted  of 
the  64th  and  65th  Ohio,  51st  Indiana  and  3d  Kentucky. 
As  we  passed  through  town,  Mrs.  Grigsby  was  standing  on 
one  of  the  principal  corners,  waving  us  farewell,  while  her 
eyes  were  flooded  with  tears. 

The  first  soldier  buried  by  our  regiment  in  the  honors 
of  war,  was  probably  Sebron  S.  Jones,  a  musician  in  Co. 
I),  whose  remains  were  conveyed  in  solemn  procession  to  a 
spot  near  Bardstown,  some  t^me  during  the  first  week  in 
January.  No  data  can  be  found  for  positive  identification. 

The  following  order  was  received  : 

(  "  HDQRS.  DEPT.  OF  THE  OHIO, 
I  Louisville,  Ky.,  Jan.  16,  1862. 
Brig.  Gen.  T  J.  WOOD,  Commanding  at  Bardstown  : 

SIR — The  general  commanding  desires  to  have  the 

road  from  Danville  to  Somerset  put  in  good  order,  and  for  this  purpose 
lie  assigns  you  to  the  duty,  and  to  the  command  of  the  troops  to  be 
engaged  in  it.  Proceed  to  Lebanon,  move  with  the  20th  Brigade,  Col, 
Forsythe  commanding,  and  begin  from  Danville.  1000  axes,  1000  picks, 
500  shovels,  500  spades  are  ordered  sent  to  Col.  Forsythe  from  here  to 
day,  and  will  reach  him  to-morrow.  The  21st  Brigade,  Col.  Carr  com 
manding,"  will  be  under  your  command.  He  is  impressed  with 
the  importance  of  the  work,  as  the  supply  of  troops  depends  on  the  early 
completion  of  the  road.  The  road  must  be  corduroyed,  with  logs  to 
make  a  species  of  puncheon  floor,  not  less  than  16  feet  wide.  Gen. 
Thomas  has  orders  to  work  in  like  manner  on  the  Somerset  end.  It  is 
hoped  it  will  not  occupy  more  than  ten  days.  Draw  supplies  from  Leb 
anon.  JAMES  B.  FRY,  Chief  of  Staff1." 


14  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA     RK(JIMKNT. 

A  letter  from  Buell  to  Thomas,  Jan.  17,  says,  "Wood, 
with  three  regiments  is  building  the  road  from  Danville." 
Again,  on  the  same  day,  Buell  to  Wood,  "Ray's  regiment 
(49th  Indiana,)  is  put  under  Wood's  command,  to  work 
on  the  road."  We  broke  camp  011  the  following  Monday, 
passing  through  Bardstown  to  a  pretty  little  knoll  about 
six  miles  from  that  town,  covered  with  lovely  cedars.  The 
next  day,  about  9  o'clock,  we  started  from  there,  marching 
slowly  all  day,  making  fourteen  miles,  and  camping  just 
below  Springfield,  011  a  finely  wooded  farm,  with  plenty  of 
water,  above  and  below,  a  drenching  rain  pouring  down  as 
we  put  up  our  tents.  Next  day  we  proceeded  to  Lebanon, 
in  a  continuous  drizzle  of  rain,  going  into  camp  a  mile 
from  town,  feeling  more  like  drowned  rats,  than  proud  and 
gallant  soldiers.  Next  morning  was  cold  and  clear,  the 
bright  sunshine  affording  an  opportunity  to  dry  ourselves 
out.  Many  of  us  went  to  town,  and  had  a  "picnic.*'  On 
Tuesday,  the  21st,  we  marched  fifteen  miles,  and  as  many 
more  the  next  day  ;  camping  in  sight  of  the  residence  of 
Colonel  Fry,  the  hero  of  Somerset,  with  whose  family  the 
writer  spent  the  evening  in  a  delightful  manner.  Eleven 
miles  more  brought  us  to  Stanford,  next  day,  and  the  day 
following  we  halted  three  miles  below.  Next  day,  which 
was  Friday,  we  marched  four  miles,  to  where  our  next  date 
is  made. 

HALL'S  (JAP. 

January  26,  l<St>-J,  \ve  were  on  the  mountain,  at  Hall's 
Gap,  seven  miles  south  of  Stanford,  Ky.,  building  cordu 
roy  road,  in  almost  unfathomable  mud,  in  order  for  the 
advance  of  our  troops,  to  take  part  in  the  battle  at  Somer 
set,  in  which  the  rebel  Zollicoffer  was  killed.  Col.  Streight 
was  in  command  of  four  regiments,  and  superintended  the 
work.  We  cut  down  the  huge  chestnut  trees,  that  were 
abundant  there,  quartered  them,  and  laid  them  in  16-foot 
lengths  across  the  road.  Our  boys  amused  themselves  in 
the  meantime  making  pipes  and  trinkets  of  the  laurel  root, 


MRS.    IJKIimE  WATER.       TO    M  UNFORPSVILLE .  1  "> 

which  also  abounded.  Many  of  our  boys  had  the  measles, 
and  many  were  troubled  with  diarrhoea,  of  which  latter 
disease  some  died.  Flour  was  issued  to  us,  which  we  took 
to  the  citizens'  houses,  and  had  baked  into  biscuits,  which 
was  payed  for  with  coffee. 

At  this  place  a  man  named  Rains,  of  the  19th  Ken 
tucky,  died  and  was  buried  near  his  home  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountain. 

From  February  1,  to  April  30,  we  were  known  as  the 
6th  Division.  From  here  dates  indiscriminate  "foraging" 
also.  Here  Mrs.  Bridgewater's  servant,  a  snaggly  quad 
roon,  brought  pies,  turkeys,  etc.,  of  which  Jim  Douglas, 
of  the  band,  bought  an  immense  stack,  paying  for  them 
with  a  $5  note  on  the  N.  W.  Railroad  Bank  of  New  York, 
as  pretty  money  as  you  ever  saw,  and  giving  Jesse  Zern 
("sutler,")  as  surety  for  its  redemption. 

Returning  to  Lebanon,  February  12,  the  entire  regi 
ment  was  vaccinated  ;  there  being  smallpox  in  the  town . 
AVe  left  Charles  Holden,  of  Co.  I,  with  congestion  of  the 
lungs,  at  Stanford,  where  he  died. 

Buell  to  Mitchell— Feb.  13,  1862:  "  Wood  will  have  his  division  at 
Munfordsville  to-morrow." 

Wood  to  Fry — Feb.  14,  1862 :  "Some  regiments  have  been  waiting 
at  the  depot  [Munfordsville]  nearly  24  hours;  one  train  was  detained  two 
hours  at  the  Junction  ;  4  regiments  have  gone,  and  5  are  now  embark 
ing;  impossible  to  send  the  remaining  two  before  to-morrow." 

fJuell  to  McClellan— Feb.  15,  1862:  "Wood's,  a  raw  division, 
reaches  Green  River  to-day." 

Buell  to  McCook— Feb.  15,  1882:  "The  three  batteries  of  Nelson's 
division  leave  with  Wood's  division  at  Munfordsville." 

We  arrived  at  Munfordsville , .  a  mean  looking  village 
of  300  inhabitants,  February  14,  by  railroad,  through  most 
picturesque  country.  Here  we  experienced  our  first  great 
distress,  from  snow  and  rain.  Dumped  from  the  box  cars 
unceremoniously  at  night,  into  the  snow,  without  fuel  or 
shelter,  exposed  to  the  inclement  weather,  it  was  one  of 
the  most  distressful  experiences  of  our  army  service.  The 
train  stood  on  the  track  there  all  night ;  and  it  is  inexpli- 


16  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

cable  why  our  inexperienced  hoys  were  not  permitted  to 
occupy  them.  Many  of  the  hoys  next  day  visited  the  ruin 
of  the  bridge,  and  the  battle-ground  where  Willich's  32d 
Indiana  fought  the  Texas  rangers  under  Buckner.  Kettle 
says  of  this  fight  : 

"On  December  17,  four  companies  of  the  32d  Indiana,  thrown  out  in 
advance  of  Munfordsville,  on  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Road,  42  miles 
north  of  Bowling  Green,  encountered  a  party  of  Texan  Hangers,  who 
charged  them,  and  were  received  with  a  sharp  flre.  The  infantry  were 
then  ordered  to  rally  on  an  adjoining  wood.  In  the  act  they  were 
charged  by  the  Texan  horsemen,  and  a  desperate  hand-to-hand  encoun 
ter  ensued,  the  Indianians  making  use  of  their  sword  bayonets.  They 
soon  gained  the  woods,  when  the  Texans  fled,  leaving  many  dead, 
including  their  colonel,  upon  the  field.  The  Federal  loss  was  13  killed, 
and  as  many  wounded." 

There  is  probably  a  mistake  here,  as  Col.  Willich  took 
two  other  companies  of  his  own  regiment  and  went  to  the 
relief  of  the  two  already  engaged.  Besides  this,  they  did 
not  get  to  the  wood,  but  formed  a  hollow  square  in  open 
field,  and  finally  repulsed  the  enemy.  The  Fifty-First  got 
there  just  in  time  to  be  too  late,  and  occupied  the  deserted 
camp  of  the  32d,  on  the  east  side  of  the  railroad,  taking 
possession  of  several  barrels  of  sour  krout,  that  had  been 
issued  to  Willich's  dutch  regiment,  and  deserted  by  them 
when  they  went  into  the  fight  with'  the  Tex  a  us.  On  the 
opposite  side  of  the  railroad  lay  a  battery,  principally  com 
posed  of  Germans,  who,  observing  our  desolate  condition, 
divided  several  camp-kettles  of  delicious  sou])  with  us  ;  for 
which  we  have  ever  since  been- grateful.  Possibly  the  gen 
erous  fellows,  by  sharing  with  us,  had  to  go  without  their 
next  meal,  or  at  least  to  reduce  their  allowance  materially. 

The  railroad  was  torn  up  to  Bowling  Green,  and  on 
the  evening  of  February  '23  our  regiment  was  sent  forward 
with  the  wagons,  to  get  them  up  the  mountain  side,  four 
or  five  miles  below.  That  night,  during  a  temporary  halt 
of  several  hours,  a  company  of  us  visited  Osceola  Cave, 
a  branch  of  the  Mammoth.  We  were  in  fine  spirits  once 
more,  as  we  had  news  of  the  capture  of  Fort  Donelson, 


KtTIIKK     AND     SKVKN-TI'.  1  t 

and   we   kin'ic  then  tliat   the  war  was  certainly  about  over. 

At  least  {M  percent,  of  Union  soldiers  knew  nothing 
of  card-playing  before  entering  the  service.  It  came  to  all 
as  a  positive  necessity,  and  was  as  generous  and  edifying 
to  the  moral  and  mental  manhood,  as  coffee  was  to  the 
physical.  This  habit  did  not  take  precedence  of  every 
thing  else,  but  with  many  was  alternated  with  reading  the 
testament.  It  was  simply  a  diversion  to  vary  the  weary 
monotony  of  camp  life,  and  by  nearly  all  was  discontinued 
soon  after  their  return  home.  It  was  quite  common  to  see 
a  little  testament  in  the  blouse  pocket,  but  rarely  a  pack  of 
cards  ;  and  just  before  a  battle  those  who  had  cards,  would 
throw  them  away. 

As  we  did  not  often  hear  church-bells,  and  we  could 
not  well  carry  calenders,  it  frequently  occurred  that  we  did 
not  know  what  day  of  the  week  it  was.  At  the  close  of  a 
march  one  day,  two  members  of  a  "mess"  whose  duty  was 
to  get  wood  and  water,  hastened  to  perform  their  task,  and 
then  sat  down  to  rest  on  a  log;  and  to  make  it  more  rest 
ful,  one  of  them  produced  a  deck  of  cards,  and  soon  they 
were  deep  in  the  mystery  of  euchre.  Just  then  one  of  the 
unregenerate  passed,  and  observing  the  game,  said  to  one 
of  the  players  : 

"Why,  I  thought  you  was  a  Christian/' 

"Well,  that's  all  right  ;  what  o'  that?" 

"Do  you  know  what  day  this  is?" 

"No;  do  you?" 

"Yes,  it's  Sunday;  'n'  I  didn't  think  your  church 
'lowed  that." 

It  didn't  either:  and  the  soldier,  who  was  very  con 
scientious,  was  so  mortified  at  his  desecration  of  the  Lord's 
Day,  that  he  broke  off  playing  cards  from  that  moment. 

WHO    STOLE    TIIK     SHKKP? 

About  February  2:>,  ISCrJ.  our  command  arrived  at  a 
point  live  miles  northeast  of  Bowling  (Jreen.  During  the 


18  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

afternoon  a  flock  of  nice  looking  sheep  were  seen  grazing 
in  a  meadow  adjoining  our  cam])  ;  and  as  we  had  been 
quite  short  of  meat  for  several  days,  we  thought  of  what  a 
delicious  stew  a  piece  of  mutton  would  make.  That  same 
night  a  forage  squad  was  made  up  of  small  details  from 
several  companies,  under  Capt.  Sheets,  and,  accompanied 
by  Quartermaster  Doughty,  we  visited  a  mill,  a  few  miles 
away,  where  we  obtained  a  quantity  of  flour  and  meal. 
On  the  return  the  boys  scattered  out  somewhat,  in  search 
of  stray  chickens  and  other  game.  One  squad  captured  a 
nice  hog,  and  got  into  camp  without  being  detected  ;  and, 
although  patrols  searched  the  quarters  of  the  entire  regi 
ment  for  it,  110  trace  was  found  ;  the  hide  and  refuse  being 
effectually  buried  out  of  sight,  and  the  meat  divided  and 
safely  packed  in  haversacks.  Another  squad  surrounded 
the  flock  of  sheep  mentioned  above,  and  ran  them  up  and 
down  the  meadow  three  or  four  times,  with  fixed  bayonets, 
when,  impatient  of  failure,  one  of  the  boys  let  go  a  shot 
from  a  huge  revolver,  that  brought  down  one  of  the  sheep, 
hut  woke  everybody  up  for  miles  around .  As  this  occurred 
a  little  before  midnight,  the  camp  guard  was  naturally 
alarmed  ;  and  the  patrol  soon  came  sailing  over  the  brow 
of  the  plateau  above  camp,  in  quest  of  the  culprits  ;  who, 
seeing  the  mischief  they  had  gotten  into,  hastened  to  plan 
a  means  of  escape.  "I  have  it,"  said  the  one  who  had 
shot ;  "we  are  patrols.  Let  me  do  the  talking,  now  ;  come 
on!"  and  they  started  on  a  dead  run  toward  the  patrols. 

"Did  you  see  which  way  they  went?"  inquired  the 
shooter,  of  the  corporal  of  the  patrols. 

"No,  we  didn't." 

"Well,  you  go  over  that  way,"  pointing  an  opposite 
direction  from  camp,  "and  we  will  go  around  this  way, 
and  head  them  off." 

Away  both  squads  flew,  the  Fifty-First  boys  taking  the 
shortest  possible  cut  into  camp  ;  leaving  their  dead  on  the 
field.  While  they  were  congratulating  themselves  on  their 


WHO    STOLK    TIIK     SIIKKI'?  19 

escape,  and  about  to  separate  to  go  to  their  quarters,  they 
encountered  tin*  officer  of  the  day.  After  questioning  them 
a  little,  he  told  them  to  go  on  in  ;  but  observing  the  brig 
ade  commander  standing  in  front  of  his  tent,  on  the  knoll 
above,  watching-  the  proceedings,  he  countermanded  his 
order,  and  sent  the  boys  up  to  headquarters.  The  com 
mander  exhausted  his  list  of  synonyms  for  thieves  and 
rascals,  and  then  ordered  the  little  band  of  martyrs  to  the 
guard-house,  where  they  stood  up  until  morning;  as  the 
prison,  was  an  unditched  tent,  and  the  rain,  which  began 
to  fall  soon  after,  rendered  any  other  position  next  to  im 
possible.  In  the  morning  the  boys  were  sent  to  their  own 
regiment,  and  confined  in  a  closed  tent,  while  the  papers 
were  made  out  for  their  court-martial. 

Among  the  incongruous  collection  that  night,  of  solids 
and  liquids,  Herman  Buchthal,  our  German  delegate  from 
Co.  E,  had  secured  a  fine  hen.  When  the  patrol  swooped 
down  on  the  squad  of  foragers,  he  quickly  stuffed  it  under 
a  cavalry  jacket  he  had  on.  He  had  no  opportunity  that 
night,  nor  all  the  next  day,  to  get  rid  of  it,  so  it  stayed  in 
there  till  the  boys  were  released  on  parole  at  night,  that 
they  might  sleep  in  their  own  quarters.  All  through  the 
day  there  was  frequent  inquiry,  " where  does  that  infernal 
smell  come  from?"  When  they  learned  that  it  was  Buch- 
thal's  chicken,  they  wanted  to  kill  him. 

On  the  second  morning,  a  discovery  was  made  by  one 
of  our  boys,  on  duty  at  brigade  headquarters,  who,  as  soon 
as  he  was  relieved,  reported  to  the  company  officers  of  the 
boys  under  arrest.  The  officers  proceeded  to  Col.  Barker's 
headquarters,  and  in  the  rear  of  his  tent,  under  a  fly  occu 
pied  by  his  cook ,  they  found  a  nicely  dressed  sheep  hung  ; 
very  likely  the  same  that  had  been  shot  by  the  foragers. 
It  did  not  take  long  to  arouse  the  commanding  officer  from 
his" sleep,  and  escort  him  to  the  cook's  tent ;  where  after  a 
brief  parley,  in  which  the  company  officers  used  some  very 
uncomplimentary  language,  an  unconditional  release  was 


20  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

secured  for  the  prisoners  ;  to  the  great  relief  of  all    parties 
concerned . 

TIT    FOR    TAT. 

This  was  not  the  end  of  the  joke,  however.  Colonel 
Harker  had  been  accustomed,  when  visiting  the  various 
camps,  to  ignore  guard  lines  ;  and  this  privilege  had  been 
accorded  him  as  a  matter  of  respect  for  his  position.  The 
next  time  he  rode  over  on  his  fine  dapple  grey,  and  made 
an  attempt  to  cross,  a  sentinel  first  saluted  him  as  became 
his  rank,  and  as  he  neared  the  line,  ordered  him  to  halt. 

"Why,  what  does  this  mean?"  exclaimed  the  astonished 
officer,  who,  although  he  was  a  highly-disciplined  captain 
from  West  Point,  very  much  preferred  the  easy  go-as-you- 
please  style  of  the  Western  soldiers. 

"It  means  for  you  to  halt,"  replied  the  guard. 

"Well,  well !  I'll  see  about  this  !"  rejoined  the  officer, 
as  he  drew  rein  to  ride  away.  At  this,  the  guard  brought 
his  gun  down  to  a  "ready,"  as  he  cried  "Halt !" 

More  astonished  than  ever,  the  officer  brought  up  with 
a  jerk,  and  inquired  with  uncontrolled  anger,  what  such 
conduct  meant.  The  soldier  gave  him  no  further  reply, 
but  at  once  called  out,  "Corporal  of  the  guard — beat  num 
ber  — !"  Instantly  the  corporal  came  running  to  the  post 
indicated  ;  after  a  short  whispered  conversation  with  the 
sentinel,  he  took  the  horse's  bit,  and  led  him  clear  around 
the  line  to  the  gate,  (an  imaginary  mclosure  and  opening, 
familiar  to  every  soldier,)  and  proceeding  to  the  tent  of 
Colonel  Streight,  presented  the  crestfallen  rider  as  "a  man 
that  had  tried  to  cross  the  guard-line."  A  hearty  laugh 
was  Colonel  Streight's  reply,  as  he  dismissed  the  corporal, 
and  invited  the  officer  to  dismount  and  go  in  ;  where  it  was 
fully  impressed  on  his  mind  that  our  regiment  "had  it  in 
for  him/'  as  we  say  in  this  day,  for  his  arrogant  manner 
toward  them  ;  that  they  were  not  thieves  nor  rascals,  and 
that  knowing  their  rights,  they  would  not  hesitate  to  main 
tain  them.  From  that  on,  the  Fifty-First  had  no  better 


I'.oWLING    GREEN,     KV.  "21 

friend  than  the  little  colonel,  who  was  afterwards  promoted 
to  be  hrig.-idier  general,  and  fell  at  the  battle  of  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  Ga.,  June  27,  1804,  gallantly  leading  his  brig 
ade  in  that  famous  charge. 

Why  Col.  Harker  held  command  over  Col.  Straight, 
though,  is  not  yet  clear,  as  Straight's  commission  dated 
'2  months  and  7  days  prior  to  Harker 's. 

ARRIVAL    AT    BOWLING    GREEN. 

A  report  by  Brig.  Gen.  0.  Mitchell,  commanding  3d 
Div.,  Dept.  of  the  Ohio,  dated  Feb.  15,  1862,  says  : 

"  The  advance  guard  of  Col.  Turchin's  brigade  under  cover  of  artil 
lery  *  effected  a  passage  of  the  river  (at  Bowling  Green,)  during 
the  night,  by  means  of  a  large  flat'xmt,  which  was  found  by  our  scouts 
during  the  afternoon,  at  a  flouring  mill  about  four  miles  below  the  town 
of  Bowling  Green.  The  advance  guard,  accompanied  by  a  detachment 
of  Col.  Kennett's  cavalry,  supported  by  three  regiments  of  a  reserve  from 
the  main  body,  marched  upon  the  town,  and  entered  without  finding  an 
enemy  at  5  o'clock  this  morning." 

All  could  not  be  accommodated  on  the  flatboat,  many 
having  to  wade.  The  stream  wras  deep  at  that  point,  but 
there  were  places  that  could  be  forded.  It  was  found  ne 
cessary  to  bundle  up  our  clothes  and  carry  them  over  our 
heads  on  our  bayonets.  The  little  fellows  fared  badly,  but 
they  were  generally  plucky,  and  plunged  through  boldly. 
Occasionally  one  slipped  and  flopped  under.  The  boys 
all  yelled,  but  the  next  one  to  him  grabbed  him  and  held 
him  up.  All  got  through  safely,  but  all  got  chilled  to  the 
bone  ;  and  many  a  death  resulted  from  disease  occasioned 
by  this.  The  victim  usually  joined  in  the  jests,  and  soon 
forgot  his  misfortune. 

The  victory  at  this  place  was  a  bloodless  one.  Many 
buildings  had  been  destroyed  by  fire.  The  depot  was  also 
fired  by  the  citizens,  although  an  effort  was  made  by  the 
artillery  to  drive  them  from  the  place. 

Rebel  Gen.  A.  S.  Johnston's  report,  elated  at  Nash 
ville,  Feb.  18,  1862,  says: 

"The  corps  under  the  command  of  Maj.  Gen.  Hardee  completed  the 


22  FIFTY- FIRST     INDIANA     KK(  i  I  M  KNT  . 

evacuation  of  Bowling  Green  on    the   14th    inst.,    and    the  rear-guard 
crossed  the  Cumberland  at  this  Doint  yesterday  morning  in  good  order." 

Col.  Straight  wrote  home  February  28,  1862,  "We 
consider  the  rebellion  broke  in  this  part  of  country.  I 
have  no  doubt  our  army  will  be  able  to  march  all  over 
the  Southern  States  within  the  next  three  months."  We 
all  enjoyed  perfect  confidence  in  the  same  beautiful  fic 
tion.  We  only  missed  it  about  three  years  and  a  half. 

Surgeon  Collins  had  been  very  ill  for  some  time,  and 
scarcely  expected  to  live;  but  he  recovered  at  Danville, 
Ky.,  though  unable  for  a  long  time  to  join  the  regiment. 

THE    SUTLER. 

The  paymaster  had  not  been  around  yet,  and  it  was 
pretty  hard  on  the  officers.  The  sutler  was  delighted  and 
happy,  however,  as  many  of  them  were  compelled  to  buy 
his  stuff,  at  three  or  four  prices.  For  their  convenience, 
the  "skinner,"  as  the  sutler  was  called  through  the  entire 
army,  issued  checks,  with  the  amount  printed  on  them, 
that  were  good  for  so  much  money  on  pay-day.  And  the 
"skinner"  always  managed  to  be  on  hand  on  that  momen 
tous  occasion  ;  and  his  claim  was  always  satisfied,  before 
the  soldier  got  the  pittance  that  fell  to  his  lot.  Naturally 
enough  the  sutler  was  despised  by  every  soldier,  and  many 
a  trick  was  played  on  him,  many  a  raid  made  on  his  stuff, 
when  by  accident  the  wagon  upset,  or  an  attack  was  made 
that  rendered  it  necessary  to  abandon  the  supply  train. 
The  boys  always  filled. up  from  the  sutler's  stock  first. 

MULE    BEEF    RATIONS. 

While  at  Bowling  Green,  we  drew  rations  of  meat  that 
had  been  captured  from  the  rebels,  that  was  issued  by  our 
commissary  for  beef,  but  that  turned  out  to  be  nothing  less 
than  mule.  Chaley  Cox,  of  Co.  C,  got  a  full  ration  of  it, 
and  devoured  it  at  one  meal.  Next  morning  he  was  very 
sick,  and  Lieut.  Dooley  directed  him  to  strike  out  ahead. 
He  did  so,  going  about  a  mile,  where  he  stopped  at  the 


NASHVILLE.       MISFITS. 


23 


farmhouse  of  Win.  1 1  awes.  There  he  stayed  three  weeks, 
Allen  (iodfrey,  of  the  same  company,  being  detailed  to 
nurse  him.  From  there  they  returned  to  Bowling  Green, 
and  securing  two  large  flasks  of  commissary  whisky,  they 
had  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  railroad  pass  ;  and  caught 
up  with  the  regiment  on  its  way  to  Shiloh.  Several  other 
comrades  fared  about  as  badly,  but  no  one  died. 

We  arrived  at  a  point  ten  miles  north  of  Nashville,  on 
Sunday  evening,  March  9,  1862.  We  had  expected  to  be 
in  Nashville  ere  that,  but  the  large  number  of  troops  in 
advance  of  us,  crossing  the  Cumberland  River,  detained 
us.  The  weather  was  lovely.  Friday,  14th,  found  us  still 
four  miles  from  Nashville;  not  very  still,  either,  for  the 
boys  wanted  to  get  to  the  front,  and  raised  a  good  deal  of 
racket  about  it.  Next  morning  we  were  joined  by  Colonel 
S treight,  who  had  been  back,  sick.  We  then  proceeded  to 
Nashville,  at  sight  of  whose  terrible  destruction  we  were 
shocked,  as  it  looked  like  a  cyclone  had  struck  it.  We  got 
our  first  sight  of  gunboats  here,  as  we  crossed  the  river, 
and  marched  into  the  city  ;  proceeding  to  the  city  square, 
and  stacking  arms  ;  after  which  we  had  the  freedom  of  the 
city,  and  the  boys  all  made  good  use  of  the  opportunity. 
Acting  Sergeant  Major  Anderson  and  the  writer  explored 
the  State  House,  leaving  our  illustrious  names  carved  on 
the  drapery  of  the  metalic  female  at  the  summit  of  the 
long  spiral  stairway. 

The  same  evening,  our  regiment  passed  out  through 
the  southeast  corner  of  the  city,  by  the  cemetery,  in  which 
the  grave -of  the  rebel  Zollicoffer  appeared  prominently. 

ALL    SORTS    OF    MISFITS. 

The  boys  were  in  fine  condition  at  this  time,  many  of 
them  having  gained  fifteen  or  twenty  pounds  since  enlist 
ment,  rendering  it  somewhat  difficult  to  make  their  suits 
fit  them  comfortably.  In  issuing  clothes,  little  regard  was 
paid  to  size  ;  the  soldier  took  Avhatever  the  orderly  handed 


FIFTY- FIRST    INDIANA     RKOIMKNT. 

him,  as  his  turn  came  ;  and  it  frequently  occurred  that  a 
little  short  fellow  got  a  suit  four  sixes  too  large  for  him, 
while  that  of  the  giant  sqiiee/ed  him  like  a  corset.  This 
evil  was  usually  corrected  by  trading  off. 

There  were  also  other  misfits.  Many  mistakes  were 
made  in  the  selection,  of  non-commissioned  officers,  some 
of  whom  had  no  fitness  for  any  sort  of  responsible  service, 
as  subsequent  experience  proved.  Home  of  these  were  in 
time  made  subjects  of  discipline,  and  found  their  proper 
place  in  the  ranks.  The  same  might  also  be  said  of  some 
of  the  commissioned  officers  ;  but  relief  could  be  secured  in 
nothing  short  of  their  resignation,  and  that  they  were  not 
in  a  hurry  to  avail  themselves  of. 

The  orderly  of  one  company  took  a  pride  in  appearing 
with  the  visor  of  his  cap  over  one  ear,  his  hair  uncombed, 
shirt-collar  unbuttoned,  one  shoe  open  or  unblacked,  and 
one  pants-leg  turned  up.  His  captain  gently  warned  him 
to  "fix  up,"  but  he  refused  to  do  so,  for  the  reason  that  if 
he  did,  the  boys  would  say  lie  was  "stuck  up."  He  made 
his  appearance  in  this  condition  on  dress  parade  one  day; 
the  Colonel  spied  him,  and  calling  him  out  in  front  of  his 
company,  administered  a  scorching  rebuke,  reduced  him 
to  the  ranks,  and  directed  his  captain  to  advance  one  of 
his  duty  sergeants  to  the  position. 

We  had  a  great  many  things  to  learn  in  order  to  our 
becoming  good  soldiers.  Commissioned  officers  and  non 
commissioned  alike,  thought  they  ought  to  make  lots  of 
fuss,  and  rip  and  tear  around  through  the  company,  when 
they  had  anything  to  do  ;  especially  in  preparing  to  march. 
Everything  was  new  ;  and  many  difficulties  arose,  that  in 
the  years  that  followed  became  as  "easy  as  falling  off  of  a 
log."  In  time  everything  became  as  thoroughly  adjusted 
as  the  finest  machinery. 

Then  began  to  appear,  to  us,  the  first  signs  of  active 
war;  long  trains  of  wagons,  loaded  with  forage,  clothing, 
food  and  ammunition,  great  batteries  of  artillery  and  long 


THE    (Tl.INAKY    DEPARTMENT. 


•25 


lines  of  cavalry  ;  all  attended  witli  confusion  and  racket 
that  would  have  out-baheled  Babel.  One  would  not  have 
thought,  from  the  hilarity,  the  blaring  of  bands,  rattle  of 
drums,  the  screeching  of  fifes  and  yells  from  thousands  of 
throats,  that  all  these  men  were  on  their  way  to  kill  other 
men,  or  be  killed  ;  but  all  the  countless  organizations  went 
out  in  the  same  way. 

TIIK    CANTEEN,    PLATE,    HAVERSACK    AND    COFFEE-POT. 

The  simple  use  of  the  canteen  was  an  art  that  required 
practice  and  experience.  The  first  effort  usually  resulted 
in  about  one-fourth  of  the  contents  flying  up  the  soldier's 
nose,  strangling  him,  and  most  of  the  balance  was  dashed 
inside  his  shirt-collar,  and  trickled  down  into  his  shoe. 
The  canteen  held  about  three  pints,  and  was  the  most  in 
dispensable  article  in  the  soldier's  outfit.  Its  usefulness 
was  not  confined  to  carrying  water  and  other  liquids,  nor 
did  it  cease  when  it  became  leaky.  It  was  then  but  the 
work  of  a  few  minutes,  to  tear  off  the  cloth  cover,  throw  it 
into  the  fire,  and  pull  it  out  again  in  the  shape  of  two  nice 
vessels,  that  might  be  used  as  a  basin,  frying-pan  or  soup- 
dish,  or  as  a  shovel  in  ditching  his  tent. 

The  tin  plate  was  equally  convertible.  When  corn 
was  too  hard  for  roasting,  and  too  soft  for  parching,  the 
soldier  took  his  old  plate,  punched  it  full  of  holes  from  the 
inside,  and  the  other  side  made  a  good  grater.  With  the 
meal  thus  grated,  griddle-cakes  and  mush  were  made,  that 
were  simply  "out  of  sight. 

We  had  various  sorts  of  haversacks,  and  they  had  as 
many  uses.  Things  that  to  the  tender  recruit  seemed  very 
strange,  lost  their  strangeness  as  his  experience  broadened  ; 
and  the  educated  taste  of  the  veteran  removed  the  objec 
tion  to  the  color  and  smell  of  the  "grub-bag,"  produced  by 
indiscriminate  and  conglomerate  admixture  of  hard-tack, 
sow-belly,  sugar,  salt  and  coffee.  On  the  halt,  he  shifted  it 
to  the  front,  and  found  in  its  hospitable  depths  a  princely 


20  FIFTY- FIRST     INDIANA     REGIMENT.        > 

banquet.   ,  We  all  bad  splendid  appetites,  and  could  digest 
almost  any tbing. 

Coffee-pots  became  practically  obsolete  after  the  first 
six  months.  After  that  a  fruit-can,  the  top  being  pounded 
smooth,  and  a  wire  bail  added,  furnished  a  fine  substitute. 
Camp-kettles  and  mess-pans  had  their  uses  also,  during  a 
cessation  of  hostilities  ;  and  alternated  between  bean  soup, 
coffee,  washing  clothes  and  scalding  graybacks.  Coffee- 
mills  had  long  been  unknown  ;  our  coffee  being  ground  by 
pounding  the  grains  with  a  bayonet  in  a  tincup,  holding 
one  hand  over  the  top,  to  prevent  their  flying  out. 

THE  BAYONET.   THE  PONCHO. 

The  bayonet  had  other  uses  than  that  for  which  the 
government  purchased  it;  such  as  stabbing  pigs,  or  carry 
ing  a  side  of  bacon  that  had  been  foraged.  Inverted,  it  did 
service  as  a  candle-stand  ;  and  frequently  two  of  them,  on 
the  guns,  were  driven  into  the  ground,  and  served  as  tent- 
poles  .  But  it  wras  seldom  used  for  puncturing  rebels  ;  yet 
no  one  ever  had  the  courage  to  resist  a  bayonet  charge,  es 
pecially  wrhen  accompanied  by  a  yell. 

The  poncho,  or  "gum  blanket,"  served  as  a  shelter  on 
the  march  or  on  picket;  placed  on  the  top  of  the  mud,  or 
on  brush  or  straw,  it  kept  us  off  of  the  ground  ;  just  after 
pay-day  it  served  as  a  "chuck-a-luck"  board,  the  squares 
and  figures  being  marked  on  it  with  charcoal ;  often  it  did 
service  as  a  bag  or  basket  for  transporting  rations  ;  and 
where  two  partners  had  one  apiece,  they  hung  one  of  the 
ponchos  across  one  end  of  their  "dog-tent"  to  protect  the 
heads  of  the  occupants. 

The  generals  were  slow  to, adopt  the  confiscation  idea, 
and  the  soldiers  suffered  many  privations  ;  for  they  had 
not  learned  to  evade  the  "reggelations."  Before  two  years 
passed,  however,  the  boys  had  taught  the  commanders  its 
marvelous  beauties;  and  as  it  seriously  affected  their  own 


MTLK-WMACKKKS.        PAY-DAY.  27 

personal  comfort,  they  were  not  averse  to  learning.  The 
chief  object  at  first  seemed  to  be  to  protect  the  property  of 
citizens;  that,  so  far  as  it  consisted  of  food  arid  forage, 
invariably  found  its  way  into  the  rebel  storehouses. 

There  was  a  natural  tendency  to  pair  off  into  messes. 
Often  four  would  mess  together,  and  on  going  into  camp, 
the  duty  of  two  would  be  to  get  wood  and  water  and  cook 
supper,  while  the  others  would  put  up  tents,  go  for  straw, 
or  other  bedding,  and  otherwise  divide  up  the  work.  Often 
three  had  to  sleep  under  one  cover  ;  and  then  it  required 
close  "spooning." 

One  fine  device  that  found  its  way  into  the  army,  was 
a  combination  knife,  fork  and  spoon.  It  was  handy  and 
very  useful;  could  be  separated,  and  could  be  closed  up, 
and  carried  easily  in  the  pocket. 

MULE-WHACKERS . 

Our  muleteers,  of  which  each  company  was  possessed 
of  one,  besides  the  regimental  headquarters  attache,  and 
over  all  of  whom  was  a  boss,  called  the  wagon-master,  was 
accorded  unlimited  indulgence  in  the  most  delectable  lan 
guage  ever  invented.  There  was  an  eternal  fitness  in  the 
selection  of  some  individuals  for  this  delicate  post,  their 
lungs  being  provided  with  sole-leather  valves  and  other 
appurtenances  that  gave  to  their  yawps  a  peculiar  unction 
and  moral  force,  without  which,  applied  to  the  mule  teams, 
our  supply  trains  would  in  multitudes  of  cases  never  have 
reached  us.  Who  will  ever  recollect  Bob  Hall,  "Mother" 
Richeson,  Dave  Snow,  Nick  Bates,  and  a  dozen  others  of 
our  accomplished  artists  in  that  line,  without  a  profound 
sense  of  gratitude?  Jack  McGrew  started  in  well,  but  it 
proved  too  much  for  him  ;  in  one  year  he  was  discharged 
for  disability.  His  lungs  were  too  weak. 

Pay-day  came  to  us  on  Wednesday,  March  19,  being 
up  to  January  1  ;  that  of  the  officers  dating  only  from  their 
muster-in  as  such.  This  was  hard  on  the  officers,  as  most 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

of  them  only  got  about  eighteen  days'  pay.     But  the  chief 
mourner  was  the  " skinner." 

Twenty  cases  of  smallpox  were  reported  in  Nashville, 
and  few  cared  to  go  into  the  city. 

GOOD-BYE    TO    THE    BAND. 

About  March  20,  1862,  an  order  came  dismissing  all 
regimental  bands ,  save  one  to  each  brigade  ;  and  ours  was 
one  of  the  doomed.  It  was  very  sad  to  see  the  band  boys 
bundle  up  their  "traps,"  and  leave  us  ;  but  the  War  De 
partment  had  decided  that  they  were  a  useless  redundance, 
and  they  had  to  go.  How  many  times,  after  a  hard  days' 
inarch,  had  their  music  inspired  us  with  new  life,  as  they 
filed  off  the  road  to  the  tune  of  "Annie  Grey,"  or  "Cottage 
by  the  Sea!'  How  those  stirring  notes  braced  us  up,  and 
enlivened  our  weary  limbs  !  We  can  see  Jim  Todd's  long 
swinging  motion,  and  Jesse  Zern's  lively  step,  keeping  the 
rest  in  time,  and  Dr.  Coe's  finely-keyed  bugle.  And  the 
echoes  of  "Bonnie  Eloise,"  "Shepherd's,"  "Bedford,"  and 
"Kendall's"  come  ringing  down  the  years  with  a  sad  sweet 
influence.  What  new  joys  come  to  us,  borne  on  the  mem 
ories  of  those  early  days  of  the  war  !  Think  of  Sam  Lavey 
sitting  all  day  long,  half  asleep,  till  the  order  comes  to  get 
ready  for  dress  parade.  How  rapidly  he  unfolds  into  new 
beauty  ;  and  when  the  signal  comes  to  "play,"  a  soft  sweet 
ness  flows  forth  from  his  horn,  like  apple-jack  from  a  full 
canteen — smooth  as  oil !  Music  had  a  perceptible  effect  on 
everything.  Our  guns  grew  lighter;  there  was  no  more 
straggling  ;  the  blisters  stopped  smarting,  and  the  aches 
faded  out  like  remnants  of  a  painful  dream. 

Here  also  our  worthy  sergeant  major,  W.  M.  Cochran, 
was  prostrated  by  disease,  by  reason  of  which  he  was  dis 
charged  from  the  service  June  19.  It  is  impossible  to  tell 
what  mi glit  have  been  his  development,  witli  such  natural 
gifts  of  mind  and  heart  as  he  possessed. 


GRAY BACKS.  29 

There  was  one  very  popular  amusement  that  began  to 
be  introduced  into  our  regiment  as  the  lovely  spring  days 
advanced,  and  that  promised  to  become  universal,  and  to 
occupy  as  much  attention ,  time  and  labor  as  any  other  fea 
ture  of  the  war .  And  it  was  about  the  only  thing  wherein 
the  promise  was  exceeded  by  fulfillment.  This  applied  to 
not  simply  the  privates,  nor  did  it  stop  with  the  common 
officers,  but  with  the  impartiality  of  the  frogs  of  Egypt, 
included  everything  to  the  general  of  the  army.  This  was 
"skirmishing"  for  graybacks.  The  insect  mentioned  in 
science  as  pediculus  corporis,  or,  as  some  call  it,  vestimenti ', 
because  it  is  not  simply  parasitic  on  the  body,  but  also  on 
clothing,  was  no  respecter  of  persons.  The  first  specimen 
ever  seen  by  the  writer,  appeared  on  his  socks  the  next  day 
after  having  slept  with  one  of  the  most  scrupulous  attaches 
of  regimental  headquarters,  the  night  before  we  left  Nash 
ville,  to  move  toward  Shiloh.  The  great  fecundity  of  this 
enterprising  little  torment  w^as  such  that  it  seemed  like  for 
every  one  we  killed ,  a  hundred  would  come  to  the  funeral . 
One  writer  tells  a  story  about  General  Garfield,  who,  upon 
the  march  from  Corinth  to  Decatur,  a  few  months  later, 
was  seen  out  in  the  rear  of  his  tent,  behind  a  tree,  with  his 
shirt  spread  out  over  his  knees,  while  his  eyes  and  fingers 
glanced  nimbly  over  the  garment  in  quest  of  the  festive 
varmints.  Behind  two  other  trees  sat  two  members  of  his 
staff,  both  engaged  in  the  same  sanguinary  pastime  ;  the 
crushing  of  the  pediculi  between  their  thumb-nails  making 
a  sound  resembling  the  snapping  of  caps.  The  speediest 
method  of  getting  rid  of  them  was  by  boiling  the  clothes. 
Cold  water  washing  only  seeined  to  stimulate  them  ;  but  at 
tunes  when  the  camp  kettle  was  not  being  used  for  boiling 
beans  or  coffee,  the  boys  would  give  their  clothes  a  bath 
that  would  for  the  time  thoroughly  eradicate  the  pest,  nits 
and  all.  The  thumb-nail  slew  its  thousands,  but  boiling 
water  its  tens  of  thousands. 

Wood-ticks   were   abundant   in    most  of  these   forests. 


30  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA     RKGIMKNT. 

They  gave  no  warning,  but  selecting  a  suitable  spot,  bur 
rowed  under  the  skin,  creating  an  itching  sensation.  If 
attended  to  in  tjme,  this  little  parasite,  which  somewhat 
resembles  a  bedbug,  could  be  removed  with  the  thumb  and 
finger  ;  but  frequently  he  had  to  be  dug  out  with  the  point 
of  a  sharp  instrument. 

We  were  also  annoyed  at  times  by  "jiggers."  These 
were  little  insects,  smaller  than  a  pin-head,  that  would  in 
some  manner  swarm  inside  of  our  clothes,  and  produce  an 
intense  smarting  that  would  set  us  wild. 

DEPARTMENT    OF    THE    OHIO. 

On  Friday,  March  21,  1862,  General  Buell,  command 
ing  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  issued  the  following  order  : 

"The  military  force  in  the  Department  of  the  Ohio  consists  of  90 
regiments  of  infantry,  1  volunteer  engineer  corps  ;  total  60,877  for  duty  ; 
76,614  present  and  absent.  The  6th  Division  has  12  regiments  of  in 
fantry,  in  three  brigades,  1  regiment  of  cavalry,  3  field  batteries.  These 
divisions  are  now  advancing  toward  the  Tennessee  River,  or  taking  up 
positions  between  here  and  there.  JHalleck  has  disturbed  the  equaliza 
tion  by  withdrawal  of  troops  as  they  ascended  Cumberland  River." 

This  furnished  Buell  a  loop-hole  for  escape  from  what 
ever  of  odium  might  attach  to  his  future  action,  by  laying 
it  onto  Halleck.  Poor  old  Halleck  !  he  had  enough  to  bear 
in  the  results  of  his  own  headstrong  incapacity,  without 
having  to  shoulder  the  burden  of  this  man,  whose  capa 
bility  was  of  no  mean  quality,  but  whose  patriotism  and 
fidelity  are  sadly  doubted.  Halleck's  action,  however,  at 
Shiloh  and  in  front  of  Corinth,  "prove  him  wholly  ^uii fit 
to  command  an  army  in  the  field,  and  in  fact  totally  void 
of  that  military  genius  necessary  and  so  essential  in  the 
make  up  of  a  military  hero." 

One  week  later,  General  Wood  received  the  following: 

/  "HDQRS.  DISTRICT  OF  OHIO, 
\    March  28,  1862. 

The  6th  Division,  Brig.  Gen.  Wood  commanding,  will  put  itself  en 
route  on  the  Columbia  turnpike,  to-morrow,  the  29th.  Col.  Barnett, 
with  the  reserve  artillery,  will  report  at  once  to  Brig.  Gen.  Wood,  and 
will  accompany  the  6th  Division." 


OFF     FOR    SHI  1,011.  31 

Then  all  was  hurry  and  bustle  and  confusion.  Some 
of  the  pickets,  when  relieved,  came  in  with  blood-curdling 
stories  of  things  that  were  going  on  "in  front,"  that  fairly 
took  the  breath  of  green  recruits  who  took  their  places. 
Knapsacks  that  hitherto  had  been  filled  with  many  little 
knickiiacks  and  love  tokens  that  had  been  brought  from 
home,  and  that  had  been  hauled  in  the  wagons  up  to  this 
time,  were  overhauled,  and  the  fancy  collection,  together 
with  extra  quilts  and  other  conveniences,  were  laid  aside, 
and  the  load  reduced  to  just  what  the  soldier  could  carry 
on  his  back. 

Strict  orders  were  issued  forbidding  foraging.  This 
was  discouraging  to  the  enterprising  purveyor,  who  hun 
gered  and  thirsted  for  pigs,  chickens,  fruit,  potatoes,  milk, 
honey  and  applejack,  that  he  knew  was  plentiful,  and  was 
only  saved  for  the  johnnies.  In  time  the  veteran  learned 
to  circumvent  all  such  orders,  and  to  modify  the  cruel  pen 
alty  by  a  system  of  division  with  the  officers  in  command, 
who  allowed  the  boys  to  construe  orders  to  suit  their  needs. 

Great  quantities  of  rations  were  issued,  and  men  and 
teams  in  large  numbers  were  detailed  to  distribute  these 
among  the  regiments.  There  was  increased  activity  in  all 
the  camps,  in  preparing  food  and  stowing  it  in  haversacks 
and  mess-boxes  ;  cartridge-boxes  were  inspected  ;  the  sick 
were  sent  to  hospitals  in  the  city  ;  surplus  camp  equipage 
was  packed  and  stored  ;  long  trains  of  wagons  were  filled 
with  ammunition  ;  ambulances ,  stretchers ,  medicine-cases 
and  all  the  varied  constituents  of  the  doctor's  department 
were  reduced  to  first-class  condition.  There  was  a  general 
weeding  out  of  the  poor  material ;  and  those  who  lacked 
physical  endurance,  or  "sand,"  as  it  was  called,  quietly 
disappeared,  and  rarely  turned  up  in  the  regiment  again. 
They  found  a  soft  place,  and  stayed  there.  Another  class 
of  soldiers  was  possessed  with  an  ambition  to  "keep  up 
with  the  colors."  They  did  not  bluster,  nor  "spile  fer  a 
fight;"  but  when  discouragements  came,  they  were  ready 


FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA     RK<iIMKNT. 

to  "pick  flint  and  try  it  again  ;"  and  when  the  fight  came 
on,  with  pale  face,  trembling  and  praying,  yet  brave  and 
true  and  faithful  they  remained  in  their  places,  taking  ad 
vantage  of  every  means  of  protection  that  would  shelter 
them  from  the  bullets  of  the  enemy. 

Marching  orders  comprehended  the  transportation  of 
tents,  equipage  and  seven  days'  rations,  and  the  informa 
tion  that  we  were  to  move  in  the  direction  of  Savannah. 

Many  of  those  afflicted  with  measles  and  other  kinds 
of  disease,  were  sent  to  Bardstown,  where  our  ever  faithful 
Mother  Streight  nursed  them  back  to  health  again. 

"Fall  in,  Fifty-First !"  And  amid  the  rattle  of  drums 
and  waving  of  flags,  we  got  into  line  for  the  final  stroke 
that  was  to  break  the  back  of  the  Confederacy.  The  last 
wagon  was  loaded,  and  was  ready  to  move  out  as  soon  as 
the  troops  were  out  of  the  way.  The  65th  Ohio  was  in  the 
front,  and  they  stepped  off  with  alacrity,  shortly  after  day 
light.  Next  day  the  64th  Ohio  took  the  advance  of  our 
brigade,  leading  us  a  lively  race  all  day.  As  we  were  not 
aware  of  the  great  necessity  for  rapid  marching,  nor  was 
any  one  else  in  Buell's  army,  not  even  the  general  himself, 
we  considered  these  antics  in  the  nature  of  an  exhibition 
of  smartness  ;  so,  on  the  next  day,  when  it  came  the  turn 
of  the  Fifty-First  to  lead  off,  there  was  a  general  under 
standing  through  our  regiment,  to  show  those  fellows  how 
to  march.  We  had  reduced  our  luggage  to  the  last  ounce  ; 
and  the  way  we  sailed  from  morning  till  night,  was  some 
thing  wonderful.  The  two  Ohio  regiments  had  drawn  new 
overcoats  quite  recently,  pretty  brown  ones,  and  it  was  fun 
to  see  those  boys  shed  their  overcoats  whenever  we  halted, 
and  then  forget  them  when  we  started  on.  Two  wagon 
loads  of  handsome  brown  overcoats  are  said  to  have  been 
harvested  that  day  by  the  citizens  and  others. 

"Them  Fifty-Firsters  is  tryin'  themselves  to-day,  a 'n't 
they  !"  remarked  a.  64th  boy  to  one  of  the  65th. 

"Yes,  the  durned   greyhounds  think  ther  smart.      I'm 


(JARFIELD     TAKES    COMMAND. 

jist  played  out,  an'  my  feet  's  that  blistered,  I  can't  stand 
up.  The  13th  's  in  front  to-morrow,  'n'  I  do  hope  they'll 
have  more  sense." 

The  13th  Michigan  took  the  advance  next  morning, 
and  the  Fifty-First  fell  to  the  rear.  But  there  was  no  more 
excessive  marching  after  that;  though  the  term  "grey 
hounds"  stuck  to  our  regiment  for  a  long  time. 

Up  to  this  time  Grant  had  110  intimation  that  Buell's 
army  was  moving  from  Nashville,  122  miles  away,  and 
Buell  was  laboring  under  the  supposition  that  Grant  was 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Tennessee  River.  Buell  had  little 
patience  with  General  Nelson,  who  was  nearly  consumed 
with  the  fear  that  the  rebels  would  attack  Grant  before  the 
reinforcing  army  could  reach  him.  Rutherford's  Creek, 
four  miles  north  of  Columbia,  was  crossed  without  much 
difficulty,  but  Duck  River  being  forty  feet  deep,  a  consid 
erable  delay  was  made.  Nelson  having  found  a  tortuous 
ford  by  which  he  could  cross  his  division,  pushed  ahead; 
and  by  that  means  arrived  at  Savannah  some  hours  before 
the  rest  of  our  army.  The  chief  solicitude  expressed  by 
Grant,  was  in  a  letter  to  McCook,  whom  he  supposed  to  be 
in  the  advance  of  Buell's  army  :  "I  have»been  looking  for 
your  army  for  several  days." 

THE    SIXTH    DIVISION. 

According  to  the  best  authority  attainable,  General 
Wood's  command,  Sixth  Division,  Army  of  the  Ohio,  con 
sisted  at  that  time  of  the  following  : 

15th  Brigade,  Col  M.  S.  Hawaii  commanding. 
17th  Indiana,  Col.  M.S.  Hascall. 
58th  Indiana,  Col.  M.  S.  Kerr. 
26th  Ohio,  Col.  E.  P.  Fyffe. 

3d  Kentucky,  Col.  T.  E.Bramlette. 
20th  Brigade,  Col.  C.  G.  Barker  commanding. 
65th  Ohio,  Col.  C.  G.  Harker. 
64th  Ohio,  Col.  J.  W.  Forsythe. 

3 


34  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

51st  Indiana,  Col.  A.  D.  Streight. 
13th  Michigan,  Col.  M.  Shoemaker. 
£lst  Brigade,  Col.  G.  D.  Wagner  commanding. 
15th  Indiana,  Col.  G.  D.  Wagner. 
40th  Indiana,  Col.  J.  W.  Blake. 
57th  Indiana,  Col.  W.  S.  Hines. 
24th  Kentucky,  Col.  L.  G.  Grigsby. 

Artillery . 

5th  Ohio  Battery,  Capt.  C.  Bradley. 
6th  Indiana  Battery,  Capt.  Geo.  Estep. 
10th  Indiana  Battery,  Capt.  J.  B.  Cox. 

Cavalry . 
3d  Ohio  Cavalry,  Col  Lewis  Zahm. 

GEN.  J.  A.  GARFIELD    TAKES    COMMAND. 

General  Garfield  was  in  Kentucky,  when  lie  received 
orders  to  report  to  General  Buell ;  and  so  long  were  the 
orders  in  reaching  him,  that  he  only  overtook  us  at  Colum 
bia,  while  we  were  constructing  a  bridge  over  Duck  River. 
He  was  at  once  assigned  to  the  command  of  our  brigade. 
He  continued  with  us  during  our  fatiguing  labors,  building 
railroad  bridges*  and  relaying  track  on  the  Memphis  and 
Nashville  Road,  aiding  much  by  his  superior  knowledge, 
and  also  by  the  inspiration  his  presence  always  afforded. 
He  was  taken  sick  in  the  latter  part  of  July,  with  malarial 
fever ;  and  obtaining  leave  of  absence,  went  to  his  home. 

As  soon  as  we  could  cross  Duck  River,  the  march  was 
resumed  with  increased  activity  and  eagerness.  The  dis 
tance  from  Columbia  to  Savannah  is  82  miles,  the  road 
being  at  that  time  very  poor.  Over  a  single  narrow  road 
the  troops  wrere  pushed  forward,  the  divisions  taking  inter 
vals  of  six  miles,  in  the  following  order  :  Nelson,  Critten- 
clen,  McCook,  AVoocl  and  Thomas.  On  the  1st  of  April, 
an  excedingly  hot  day,  Wood's  division  marched  fourteen 
miles,  aud  encamped  in  a  wood  three  miles  beyond  Buffalo 
River.  On  Wednesday,  the  2d,  we  had  several  light  show- 


GENERAL  J.  A.  GARFIELD. 


GRANT    AND    BUELL.  35 

ers,   which  did   not  add   materially  to  our  comfort,   having 
been  so  recently  bereft  of  our  tents. 

GRANT    AND    BUELL. 

Nothing  of  importance  occurred  from  that  on  until  we 
arrived  at  Waynesboro ,  at  which  place  the  citizens  received 
us  with  demonstrations  of  great  joy.  Heavy  cannonading 
was  heard  that  afternoon,  from  a  southwest  direction,  cre 
ating  a  ripple  of  excitement  among  the  troops,  who  daily 
expected  the  first  great  battle  of  the  war.  At  Waynesboro 
the  road  forked,  and  a  part  of  the  column  taking  to  the 
left,  the  main  body  proceeded  directly  to  Savannah.  At 
the  same  time,  the  rebel  army  left  Corinth  to  attack  the 
Union  troops  camped  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  intending  tf) 
overwhelm  Grant  before  Buell  could  join  him.  On  the 
4th,  Grant  telegraphed  that  the  troops  need  not  hasten 
their  march,  as  transports  would  not  be  in  readiness-,  at 
any  rate  until  the  8th.  On  the  same  day,  Buell  dispatched 
to  Grant, 

"I  shall  be  in  [Savannah  myself  to-morrow,  with  one,  perhaps  two, 
divisions.  Can  I  meet  you  there?  Have  you  any  information  for  me 
that  should  affect  my  movements?  What  of  your  enemy,  and  your 
relative  positions;  what  force  at  Florence  or  Corinth  ?  We  will  require 
forage  as  soon  as  we  arrive,  and  provisions  in  two  or  three  days  after. 
Has  a  steamer  arrived  with  a  bridge  for  me?'' 

Grant  replied  next  day, 

Maj.  Gen.  D.  C.  BUELL, 

Near  Waynesborough  : 

Your  dispatch  just  received,  I  will  be  here  to  meet 
you  to-morrow.  The  enemy  at  and  near  Corinth  are  probably  from  60,- 
000  to  80,000.  Information  not  reliable.  Have  abundance  of  rations 
here,  and  some  forage.  More  arriving  daily.  Pontoon  bridge  arrived 
to-day.  U.  S.  GRANT,  Maj.  Gen." 

On  the  6th,  Grant  had  learned  a  part  of  the  lesson  his 
over-confidence  in  himself  subjected  him  to.  There  were 
many  more  to  learn,  before  the  close  of  the  war.  During 
the  heat  of  the  strife,  on  that  awful  day,  he  telegraphed  to 
"the  commanding  officer  of  the  advance  forces  of  Buell's 
army,  near  Pittsburg  :" 


36  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

"The  attack  on  my  forces  has  been  very  spirited  from  early 
this  morning.  The  appearance  of  fresh  troops  in  the  field  now  would 
have  a  powerful  effect,  both  by  inspiring  our  men  and  disheartening  the 
enemy.  If  you  will  get  upon  the  field,  leaving  all  your  baggage  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  river,  it  will  be  more  to  our  advantage,  and  possibly 
save  the  day  to  us.  The  rebel  forces  are  estimated  at  over  100,000  men. 
My  headquarters  will  be  in  the  log  building  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  where 
you  will  be  furnished  a  staff  officer  to  guide  you  to  a  place  on  the  field." 

Yet,  there  we  lay,  along  the  bank  of  the  Tennessee 
River,  hearing  the  ponderous  booming  of  cannon  and  the 
rainlike  whir  of  musketry,  till  we  were  wild  with  excite 
ment,  while  our  poor  boys  were  being  driven  back  into  the 
river  at  Pittsburg  Landing — while  hundreds  of  lives  were 
going  out,  and  the  hopes  of  thousands  more  were  dying  on 
that  bloody  field .  All  this  time  Buell  remained  at  Savan 
nah,  walking  or  riding  about,  seemingly  as  unconcerned 
as  though  it  was  a  matter  of  very  little  consequence  which 
side  was  defeated  ;  a  condition  of  mind  and  heart  almost 
universally  attributed  to  him  by  the  men  of  his  command. 
Colonel  Streight  stormed  around  at  a  great  rate,  and  Capt. 
Will  Scearce  became  so  impatient  that  he  cried  like  a  child, 
and  railed  out  against  the  commanding  officer,  whom  he 
characterized  as  a  rebel.  Looking  up  the  same  moment, 
he  beheld  that  individual  not  forty  yards  away.  He  had 
certainly  heard  the  remark,  but  probably  had  no  desire  to 
resent  it  then.  It  was  well  he  did  not,  as  the  entire  regi 
ment  was  in  accord  with  that  sentiment,  and  would  have 
expressed  it  as  forcibly  with  proper  provocation.  We  had 
enlisted  to  put  down  the  Rebellion,  and  had  no  patience  with 
the  red-tape  tomfoolery  of  the  regular  service.  Further 
more,  our  boys  recognized  no  superiors,  except  in  the  line 
of  legitimate  duty .  Shoulder-straps  waived ,  a  private  was 
ready  at  the  "drop  of  the  hat"  to  thrash  his  commander; 
a  feat  that  occurred  more  than  once. 

All  that  beautiful  Sunday  we  could  hear  the  crackle  of 
musketry  and  the  pounding  of  cannons,  but  no  movement 
was  made  bv  our  command  in  the  direction  whence  those 


AT    PITTSP.URG     LANDING.  •>  t 

sounds  came  We  trudged  up  and  down,  along  the  eastern 
bank  of  th'e  river,  or  paced  back  and  forth  like  so  many 
caged  animals.  At  night  the  roar  of  battle  ceased,  and  we 
dropped  down  in  the  most  convenient  places  we  could  find  ; 
the  entire  surface  being  covered  with  a  sticky  mud,  caused 
by  an  overflow.  The  writer  followed  the  example  of  Chap 
lain  Gaskins,  whose  instinct  led  him  into  the  loft  of  a  log 
barn  close  by,  where  they  found  some  oats  straw,  of  which 
they  made  a  lovely  bed.  We  were  all  dragged  out  shortly 
after  midnight,  to  march  back  to  Savannah,  where  we  took 
a  transport  for  Pittsburg  Landing. 

PITTSBURG    LANDING  . 

Arriving  at  the  scene  of  battle,  we  went  ashore  under 
the  shadow  of  an  abrupt  bluff,  that  bathed  its  northern 
slope  in  the  mouth  of  Snake  Creek.  The  bank  was  lined 
with  trembling  soldiers,  who  warned  us  to  not  leave  the 
boat ;  that  we  would  all  be  butchered.  Grant's  "Memoirs" 
says  that  Buell  berated  the  stragglers  along  the  bank,  that 
he  estimated  at  4,000  or  5,000,  and  threatened  to  throw  a 
few  shells  from  the  gunboats  in  among  them,  to  drive  them 
to  the  front. 

The  Landing  had  no  appearance  of  a  town,  possessing 
but  two  or  three  log  huts,  that  Grant  used  as  a  postoffice. 

There  is  no  question  that  Grant  was  surprised  at  this 
place,  and  badly  whipped,  too,  by  a  largely  superior  force  ; 
and  all  that  saved  him  was  the  timely  arrival  of  Buell's 
army.  The  credit  of  this  should  also  be  put  in  the  right 
place;  for,  while  the  fact  was  patent  then,  and  remains, 
that  Grant  made  a  huge  mistake  at  Shiloh,  but  for  the  per 
sistency  of  such  men  as  Nelson  and  Harker  and  Garfield 
and  the  plucky  colonels  and  majors  and  captains,  whose 
voices  would  not  be  hushed,  the  day  would  have  certainly 


gone  against  us. 


"GRAB  A  ROOT." 


This  expression,  which  became  universal   throughout 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  Union  army,  is  said  to  have  had  its  origin  at  this  time. 
Thousands  of  Grant's  men  were  driven  back  to  the  water's 
edge,  where  stood  hundreds  of  large  trees,  whose  roots 
projected  from  the  bank.  As  the  boats  approached,  con 
veying  Buell's  men  to  their  aid,  some  of  the  careless  and 
more  courageous  soldiers  made  sport  of  the  panic  stricken 
fellows,  and  as  they  tumbled  over  the  bank,  yelled  out  to 
them,  "grab  a  root !"  How  electrified  they  were  when  we 
arrived.  One  comrade,  who  was  in  Grant's  army,  says, 
"I  can  feel  the  sensation  of  joy  yet,  that  thrilled  me  when 
the  band  of  the  advance  got  out  on  the  boat  and  played 
'Hail,  Columbia.'  If  ever  men  shed  tears  of  joy  and  grat 
itude,  it  was  then.  Wild  yells,  not  simple  cheers,  but 
' tigers,'  beat  the  air,  far  and  wide,  till  the  whole  woods  on 
either  bank  fairly  shook  with  joy." 

We  were  drawn  up  into  line,  stacked  our  great  heavy 
Belgian  muskets,  and  with  the  rain  pouring  in  almost  in 
cessant  torrents,  impatiently  awaited  orders  to  hurry  to  the 
front.  We  had  no  tents,  and  very  few  blankets,  and  so  we 
laid  around  sort  of  promiscuously,  ready  at  the  tap  of  the 
drum,  to  fall  in  and  go  into  the  fight. 

General  Wood's  report,  covering  April  6,  says  : 

"The  51st  Indiana  war;.  left  as  guard  to  wagon  train,  on  a  road  almost 
inconceivably  bad,  with  wagons  stuck  in  the  mud.  About  12  o'clock, 
midnight,  the  darkness  became  impenetrable,  and  rain  began  to  fall  in 
torrents.  It  was  impossible  to  see  a  pace  in  advance  ;  and  it  became 
absolutely  necessary  to  halt  until  the  storm  passed.  The  troops  were 
eager  to  advance  to  assist  their  hard-pressed  brethren,  and  were  chafing 
and  impatient.  Savannah  was  reached  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  and 
as  soon  as  possible  they  embarked  for  the  battle-field.  The  cheerfulness 
and  alacrity  with  which  these  troops  bore  the  labor  and  fatigue  of  a  rapid 
march,  compactly  conducted,  140  miles,  from  Nashville  to  Savannah,  is 
an  earnest  of  their  zeal." 

The  inevitable,  inextinguishable  sutler  was  there  ;  and 
as  if  matters  were  not  already  as  bad  as  they  could  be,  he 
had  brought  with  him  a  quantity  of  "brandy  peaches," 
the  same  being  a  fruit  can  containing  one  or  two  slices  of 
peach  and  a  pint  of  miserable  rotgut  whisky.  John  Burk, 


CONFIDENCE    OF    COMRADES. 

of  Co.  B,  a  jolly  Irishman,  managed  to  empty  one  of  these 
cans  into  his  stomach,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  he  was  a 
howling  hoodlum,  going  along  the  line,  hugging  the  boys, 
and  making  other  demonstrations  of  joy,  until  he  ran  into 
the  colonel,  who  was  riding  by  ;  who  rebuked  him  in  not 
very  gentle  tones,  threatening  to  "buck  and  gag"  him. 
The  reproof  so  enraged  the  Irishman,  that  he  rushed  to  a 
stack  of  guns,  grabbed  one  of  them,  and  before  the  boys 
could  interfere,  his  bayonet  was  within  three  inches  of  the 
colonel's  breast.  He  was  put  under  guard,  and  kept  until 
morning,  when  we  fell  into  line  for  battle  ;  and  being  by 
that  time  sobered  up,  he  went  into  action  with  his  com 
pany,  and  the  matter  was  forgotten.  Johnny's  bad  habit 
clung  to  him  to  the  end  of  his  service.  He  got  drunk  as 
we  started  on  the  "Raid,"  and  fell  off  of  the  boat  near 
Paducah.  He  was  rescued,  half  drowned  and  badly  hurt, 
and  was  left  at  a  hospital.  It  is  not  known  what  became 
of  him. 

That  night  was  indeed  a  dreary  one.  We  could  only 
slosh  around  in  the  soft  mud,  with  our  heads  stuck  through 
our  ponchos,  as  our  tents  were  across  the  river,  six  miles 
below.  While  wandering  about  in  this  plight,  the  writer 
was  met  by  an  equally  forlorn  comrade,  from  whatever 
command  will  never  be  known.  The  rain  had  slackened, 
and  the  following  ensued  : 

"Rough,  isn't  it?" 

"Whew!  you  bet  it  is!" 

"Let's  make  down." 

"All  right ;  where '11  we  make  down?" 

"0,  anywhere — right  here's  good  as  any." 

"Well,  here,  hold  my  things  ;  I  know  where  there's 
some  hay." 

"All  right." 

The  writer,  who  had  a  poncho,   handed   that,  with  his 
gun  and  haversack,  to  the  other  soldier,  who  had  a  woolen, 
blanket,  and  started  for  the  bluff  at  the  landing,  where  he 


40  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

had  seen  some  mules  feeding.  Securing  a  good  armload  of 
bay,  he  returned  to  where  he  had  left  his  comrade,  and 
they  made  down  their  bed,  putting  the  hay  on  the  mud, 
and  spreading  the  poncho  on  that ;  then  putting  their  guns 
between  them,  and  pulling  the  woolen  blanket  over  them 
selves,  they  tucked  their  haversacks  under  their  heads,  and 
soon  were  sound  asleep.  In  about  an  hour,  the  rain  came 
pouring  down  again,  filling  their  bed  with  water.  After 
enduring  it  as  long  as  they  could,  with  a  grunt  of  discom 
fort,  each  arose,  took  his  own  things,  and  they  separated. 
Neither  knew  the  other's  name  nor  command,  and  they 
probably  never  met  again;  such,  however,  was  the  confi 
dence  one  soldier  had  in  another. 

THE    SECOND    DAY    AT    SHILOH . 

At  5  A.  M.,  on  the  7th,  our  lines  were  formed,  and  we 
moved  forward.  Our  skirmishers  soon  met  the  enemy's 
pickets,  and  drove  them  rapidly  for  nearly  a  mile.  The 
character  of  this  onset,  with  the  determined  energy  shown 
by  the  fresh  troops,  revealed  to  Beauregard  the  presence  of 
reinforcements  to  Grant.  The  rebel  commander  says,  in 
his  report  of  the  battle, 

"At  6  A.  M,  a  hot  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery  opened  from  the  ene 
my's  quarter  assured  me  of  the  junction  of  his  forces,  and  soon 
the  hattle  raged  with  a  fury  which  satisfied  me  that  I  was  attacked  hy  a 
largely  superior  force." 

The  presence  of  our  command  was  the  prophecy  of 
the  rebels'  defeat,  indeed.  He  had  received  a  special  dis 
patch  the  night  before,  of  our  delay,  and  counted  on  our 
not  being  able  to  reach  the  field  of  battle  in  time  to  save 
Grant's  shattered  forces  from  capture  or  destruction.  The 
fighting  was  severe,  and  toward  the  close,  was  purely  de 
fensive  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  to  hold  his  main  line  of 
retreat,  and  cover  his  retiring  column. 

By  10  o'clock  A.  M.,  Monday,  our  troops  had  regained 
the  camp  from  which  Grant's  army  was  driven  on  Sunday 
morning.  Wood's  division  was  pushed  on  after  the  rebels, 


UNDER    THE    HORSES.  41 

until  they  had  passed  their  own  original  lines.  Thus  the 
left  of  Grant's  army  was  saved.  .  Gen.  Lew.  Wallace  had 
taken  the  Snake  Creek  road,  that  would  have  brought  him 
in  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  where  he  would  not  have  lasted 
a  minute  ;  getting  back  to  the  right  road  delayed  him  con 
siderably  ;  but  he  got  fairly  into  action  in  time  to  save  the 
right  wing. 

The  enemy  was  not  pursued  far,  on  account  of  the 
extreme  fatigue  of  our  men,  and  the  approach  of  night. 
The  losses  on  both  sides  were  very  heavy.  But  the  day 
was  ours,  and  disastrous  defeat  was  turned  to  glad  victory. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  Generals  Sherman 
and  Wood,  with  two  brigades  each,  moved  forward  to  dis 
cover  the  position  of  the  enemy.  We  encountered  a  large 
body  on  Lick  Creek,  and  drove  them  some  distance  toward 
the  main  army. 

UNDER    THE    HORSES. 

When  we  moved  up  on  the  high  ground  away  from  the 
swamp,  we  were  badly  crowded,  and  our  sleeping  quarters 
were  in  too  close  proximity  to  those  of  the  horses.  On  the 
third  night  after,  one  of  the  animals  in  moving  backward, 
set  one  of  his  feet  on- the  head  of  the  writer,  the  cork  of 
his  shoe  cutting  quite  a  gash  in  the  scalp.  It  was  late  in 
the  night,  and  all  were  asleep  ;  and  when  Dr.  Collins  was 
aroused,  seeing  the  soldier's  head  and  face  covered  with 
blood,  he  supposed  he  had  been  shot,  and  began  to  hustle 
around  to  atford  relief.  The  soldier  told  him  what  was  the 
matter,  however,  and  requested  that  some  comrade  lead 
him  to  the  creek  ;  there  he  washed  the  blood  from  his  face 
and  head,  tied  his  bandana  over  the  cut,  found  a  secure 
place  to  lie,  and  soon  all  were  asleep  again.  Such  things 
became  common,  and  we  got  used  to  them. 

We  halted  on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  in  a  forest  of 
elms  and  white  oaks ;  and  as  our  baggage  was  still  miles 
awav,  011  the  east  side  of  the  river,  we  skinned  the  trees 


42  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

as  high  as  we  could  reach,  using  the  bark  for  shelter  and 
beds,  eking  out  with  straw,  grass,  brush,  old  clothes,  and 
everything  we  could  find,  that  would  make  our  beds  soft, 
or  keep  us  out  of  the  mud. 

AFTER    THE    BATTLE. 

As  we  passed  over  the  field,  and  especially  near  the 
" peach  orchard,"  where  but  a  short  time  before  had  tran 
spired  such  horror,  such  destruction  and  devastation,  and 
beheld  the  multitude  of  dead  and  dying  men  and  horses, 
and  glanced  down  the  long  lines  of  hastily  constructed  for 
tifications,  which  showed  the  positions  of  the  contending 
armies,  at  different  periods  in  the  fight,  we  almost  fancied 
we  saw  and  heard  it  all  over  again.  The  cold  penetrating 
stare  of  the  hundreds  of  stark,  drenched  and  bloodless 
corpses,  over  which  we  marched  by  day,  and  by  whose 
sides  we  dropped  wearily  down  at  night,  caused  a  shudder. 
The  groans  of  the  wounded,  and  the  expiring  gasps  of  the 
noble  fellows  will  haunt  us  through  life. 

u  No  visions  of  tbe  morrow's  strife 

The  warrior's  dream  alarms ; 
No  braying  horn  nor  screaming  fife 

At  dawn  shall  call  to  arms." 

Many  corpses  lay  stretched  out  in  the  mud  and  water, 
the  rain  pattering  down  in  their  faces  ;  some  appearing  as 
though  sleeping,  while  others  bore  expressions  of  deepest 
agony.  One  man  was  thrown  backward  over  a  log,  his  left 
hand  covering  a  horrible  wound  in  his  body,  and  the  other 
with  the  finger-nails  sunk  in  the  flesh,  was  back  of  his 
head,  his  teeth  and  lips  firmly  closed,  his  eyes  set,  indica 
ting  an  awful  death.  At  the  foot  of  a  large  tree  lay  five 
rebels,  who  had  evidently  been  pierced  by  the  same  ball — 
apparently  a  small  solid  shot,  each  being  struck  a  little 
lower  than  the  preceding  one,  as  they  filed  around  the  tree. 
At  another  place  a  large  ball  had  struck  twTo  men  together, 
cutting  one  in  halves,  and  severing  the  other's  head  from 
his  shoulders.  Hundreds  of  horses  were  strewn  around. 


COLONEL  STREIGHT'S  CORRESPONDENCE.  43 

Many  of  the  wounded  were  disfigured  beyond  recognition  ; 
especially  was  this  true  of  about  one  hundred  poor  fellows, 
who  were  scattered  through  a  portion  of  the  wood,  that- 
caught  fire,  roasting  them  into  insensibility.  Everywhere 
lay  poor  dying  mortals,  suffering  intensely  from  wounds 
and  hunger  and  thirst.  Our  boys  immediately  contributed 
liberally  from  their  haversacks  and  canteens,  and  our  sur 
geons  went  over  and  did  what  they  could  for  their  relief. 

THE  COLONEL'S  LETTERS. 
Colonel  Streight  wrote  home,  April  10  : 
"Three  days  after  the  battle,  and  2,000  dead  traitors  unburied.     We 
are  in  an  oak  forest,  seven  miles  long  and   two  wide.     On  our  reconnoi- 
sance,  we  saw  35  wounded,  still  living,  who  had  had  nothing  to  eat  nor 
drink  since  the   battle.     Our  baggage  train  is  14  miles  from   here;  we 
have  no  tents  nor  blankets,  and  sleep  as  best  we  can." 

On  the  17th  he  wote  : 

*  "Men  who  were  killed  a  week  ago,  are  yet  unburied;  many 
wounded  still  uncared  for.  Doctors  are  scarce,  arid  numbers  of  wounded 
great;  perhaps  10,000.  We  have  lost  several  with  smallpox.  Mumps 
and  jaundice  give  us  most  trouble,  Over  50  cases  now  in  camp." 

And  on  the  22d  : 

"Just  returned  from  picket,  where  we  had  to  remain  36  hours,  in  a 
drenching  rain,  without  sleep  or  shelter.  Lieutenants  Fox  and  Williams 
have  resigned  and  gone  home,  on  account  of  ill  health.  Lieut.  Slavens 
died  of  typhoid  fever,  at  Nashville,  and  Lieut.  Light  died  at  Lebanon. 
Capt.  Denny  is  also. dead,  and  Lieut.  Trent  resigned." 

Again,  before  Corinth,  May  8  : 

"  We  are  preparing  for  battle.  The  roar  of  cannon  ami  rattle  of  mus 
ketry  is  the  music  to  our  march.  I  have  every  confidence  in  my  regi 
ment.  They  will  fight  bravely,  and  acquit  themselves  honorably  in 
whatever  circumstances  they  may  be  placed.  About  500  able  for  duty." 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  give  the  names  of  individuals 
who  were  killed,  or  who  died  in  consequence  of  wounds 
received  in  each  battle,  or  of  disease  at  the  various  points. 
The  data  cannot  be  obtained,  and  besides  it  would  require 
a  large  volume  for  these  alone. 

Proceeding  about  one  mile  further,  we  halted  at  the 
place  where  the  rebels  had  first  formed  in  line  of  battle,  on 


44  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  eventful  Sunday  morning.  There  we  found  a  great 
quantity  of  clothing,  which,  in  our  destitution,  we  gladly 
appropriated.  About  this  time  we  were  further  delighted 
by  the  exchange  of  our  heavy  Belgian  guns  for  nice  little 
Enfield  rifles. 

Next  day  we  rested  in  a  beautiful  wheatfield,  where 
our  eyes  were  greeted  by  the  sight  of  a  squad  bringing  in 
a  large  number  of  prisoners  ;  then  we  were  dead  certain  the 
war  was  about  over. 

From  this  time  till  September,  we  were  known  as  the 
20th  Brigade,  6th  Division,  Department  of  the  Mississippi. 

Great  details  of  men  were  made  to  bury  the  dead  ;  and 
it  was  indeed  a  sad  duty,  to  take  up  the  bodies  of  those 
who  had  fallen,  many  of  whom  had  lingered  during  the 
long  weary  nights  of  neglect,  in  the  pelting  rain,  and  suf 
fering  all  the  pangs  of  thirst  and  hunger,  and  lay  them  in 
trenches  like  poles  in  a  corduroy  road,  without  covering, 
save  a  few  old  blankets ,  that  were  made  to  go  as  far  as  pos 
sible,  and  dirt,  that  filled  eyes  and  mouths,  and  through 
which  the  water  soaked  from  the  surface.  Yet  it  was  all 
that  could  be  done.  A  little  board,  with  pencil  marks,  at 
the  head  of  each  poor  body,  was  all  the  monument  erected. 

In  General  Buell's  report,  made  in  August,  he  says  : 

"Circumstances  attending  following  the  Sliiloh  fight,  subjected  the 
troops  to  the  greatest  discomfort  for  ten  days  after.  Rains  and  continual 
use  of  t'ne  roads,  rendered  them  almost  impassable.  The  troops  lived  in 
the  open  aii\  in  miry  camps,  in  frequent  cold,  drenching  rains,  and  had 
to  carry  provisions  two  miles  from  the  river.  This  had  a  serious  effect 
on  the  troops;  dysentery  of  a  threatening  type  prevailing.  The  arrival 
of  wagons,  and  removal  of  troops  to  high  ground  on  Lick  Creek,  remote 
from  the  battlefield,  wrought  a  favorable  change.  More  immediate  pre 
parations  for  advjince  commenced  on  the  29th  of  April.  The  creek  was 
bridged  at  Atkins'  and  Greer's,  and  the  marshy  bottom  was  corduroyed 
three-fourths  of  a  mile.  The  average  distance  from  Corinth  was  fffteen 
miles.  The  country  was  thickly  wooded,  with  dense  undergrowth.  May 
3,  Wood's  division  crossed  at  Greer's.  The  enemy's  cavalry  retired 
before  us.  Work  was  at  once  commenced  on  the  roads  in  front  but  the 
heavy  rains  of  the  4th  and  5th,  prevented  our  advance,  and  destroyed 
much  of  the  work  both  in  front  and  rear.  Some  skirmishing  occurred 


"MY  WHISKY  !"  45 

on  the  6iL,   between   the  enemy  and  Garfield's  brigade.     A  few  of  the 
enemy  were  taken  prisoners." 

From  this  till  the  17th  he  had  nothing  of  importance 
to  report. 

Just  as  soon  as  we  got  settled  down  long  enough  to  go 
into  regular  camp,  and  got  our  tents  up  and  ditched,  and 
the  quarters  policed,  we  were  ordered  to  prepare  for  "bat 
talion  drill."  Whew!  We  hadn't  had  time  to  get  dried 
out,  nor  the  wrinkles  straightened,  nor  our  sore  feet  healed 
up;  but  we  had  to  go.  And  we  faced,  and  flanked,  and 
countermarched,  and  formed  hollow-square,  and  wheeled, 
resisted  imaginary  cavalry  charges,  and  assaulted  forts, 
through  a  blamed  thorny  thicket ;  leaving  the  boys  breath 
less  and  out  of  temper.  This  continued  from  day  to  day, 
supplemented  by  company  and  squad  drill. 

"MY  WHISKY  !" 

Major  Doughty,  our  enterprising  quartermaster,  had 
"gobbled"  a  barrel  of  fine  old  Kentucky  whisky,  and  was 
saving  it  for  "medical  purposes,"  in  the  back  of  his  own 
wagon.  John  P.  Smith,  being  on  guard  at  headquarters, 
discovered  it,  and  reported  the  same  to  the  boys  of  Cos.  A 
and  F,  who  resolved  to  have  a  few  canteenfuls  of  it ;  that, 
properly  taken,  it  would  help  them  to  endure  the  excessive 
fatigue.  By  daylight  all  of  the  canteens  and  some  of  the 
camp-kettles  of  the  "Shelby  drunks"  and  Co.  A  contained 
most  of  the  whisky .  The  watchful  sentinel  then  called  the 
quartermaster,  and  told  him  that  something  in  the  wagon 
was  leaking  badly.  The  officer  jumped  out  of  bed  quickly, 
exclaiming,  "my  whisky  !"  The  barrel  wras  taken  into  the 
tent,  and  what  was  left  was  put  into  bottles.  A  half-pint 
was  given  to  the  guard,  as  a  reward  for  his  faithfulness. 
The  day  following  was  one  of  hilarity  among  the  soldiers 
of  the  right  of  the  regiment ;  but  nobody  ever  gave  the 
trick  away,  or  it  would  have  been  a  sorry  jamboree  for  the 
perpetrators . 


46  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

On  May  8,  Gen.  Sherman  reported  to  Gen.  Grant : 

"  I  went  out  on  the  Corinth  road.  At  the  forks  of  the  road  I  found 
Gen.  Wood's  division.  I  ordered  Wood  to  advance  the  head  of  his  col 
umn  cautiously  on  the  left-hand  road,  while  1  conducted  the  3d  Brigade, 
5th  Division,  on  the  right-hand  road." 

SCARED    BY    A    " QUAKER    GUN." 

May  9,  we  were  7-J-  miles  from  Corinth,  in  the  vicinity 
of  what  was  to  be  Jeff  Davis'  "last  ditch."  On  the  night 
of  May  6,  General  Garfield  detailed  Colonel  Straight,  with 
the  Fifty-First,  to  bring  up  the  brigade  train  and  the  divi 
sion  supply  train.  The  command  was  under  fire  for  some 
time,  but  there  were  no  casualties.  During  that  week  our 
regiment  chopped  dowrn  the  woods  in  front  of  us,  about 
seventy  acres  ;  though  for  what  reason  this  work  was  done, 
nothing  in  the  Official  War  Records  appears.  We  had  no 
trouble  in  moving  on  the  doomed  town,  for  it  was  already 
evacuated  by  the  rebels.  We  were  confronted  by  a  mam 
moth  gun,  that  threatened  to  blow  the  Union  clear  over 
the  north  pole  ;  and  it  was  then  supposed  that  General 
Halleck  was  afraid  that  somebody  might  accidentally  run 
up  against  the  mass  of  ordnance  ;  and  to  provide  against 
this,  was  the  cause  of  cutting  away  the  forest.  Five  hun 
dred  axes  were  unpacked,  and  in  a  very  short  time  our 
hardy  yeomen  completed  the  task.  The  mammoth  gun 
proved  afterward  to  be  a  log  that  had  been  mounted  and 
painted  to  resemble  a  columbiad. 

Here  it  was  that  Reub.  Templin  and  J.  F.  McKinley, 
(Brute,)  of  Co.  C,  kept  everybody  awake  during  the  entire 
night,  destroying  rebels  that  sneaked  up  on  them  while  on 
picket.  The  Government  had  a  herd  of  cattle  to  pay  for, 
and  there  wasn't  a  ragweed  in  front  of  our  command  that 
hadn't  the  top  clipped  off,  as  they  waved  in  the  misty  star 
light. 

The  right  of  our  regiment  rested  alongside  a  big  pine 
tree.  One  clay  Corporal  Gibson  was  sitting  on  the  trunk 
of  it,  writing  a  letter  to  his  wife.  Looking  up,  he  descried 


INVESTING    CORINTH  .  47 

at  the  end  next  to  the  captain's  quarters,  a  huge  lizard  on 
the  tree.  He  commenced  writing  something  about  it  in 
his  letter,  when  Captain  Fleece  came  out  of  his  tent,  and 
scared  the  varmint,  which  ran  along  the  tree  and  up  into 
Gibson's  pants.  It  did  not  stop  till  it  had  compassed  the 
entire  length  of  his  body,  emerging  at  his  collar.  Chaos 
ensued;  pen,  ink  and  letter  flew  in  different  directions; 
while  Gibson  acted  like  a  lunatic,  tearing  every  garment 
he  had  on  into  shreds,  in  his  eagerness  to  get  them  off. 
Traces  of  the  lizard's  course  were  plainly  visible  for  years. 
Gibson  had  to  draw  another  suit  before  he  could  appear  in 
public  again. 

BEFORE    CORINTH. 

Saturday,  May  17,  we  advanced  to  within  2i  miles  of 
Corinth,  and  a  lively  cavalry  skirmish  was  had,  with  con 
siderable  loss  on  both  sides,  the  rebel  cavalry  falling  back 
in  confusion,  leaving  many  prisoners.  During  the  engage 
ment  two  companies  of  rebel  infantry  deserted  and  fled  to 
our  lines.  They  reported  that  the  entire  cavalry  force  was 
placed  in  front,  to  prevent  the  infantry  from  escaping  to 
our  army.  Their  rations  had  been  cut  down  to  one  cracker 
a  day.  We  mistook  their  flight  for  a  charge,  and  many 
shots  were  fired  at  them  before  they  could  make  their  inten 
tion  known.  On  Sunday,  our  skirmishers,  half  a  mile  in 
advance,  kept  up  a  racket  all  day.  Several  of  our  boys 
were  hit  by  a  rebel  sharpshooter,  perched  in  a  distant  tree. 
He  was  finally  located,  and  two  half-breed  Indians  from 
the  2d  Minnesota  were  detailed  to  silence  him.  Some  boys 
from  our  regiment  deployed  at  safe  distances,  to  attract 
his  attention,  while  the  half-breeds,  who  were  fine  hunters, 
removing  their  shoes,  crept  stealthily  through  the  under 
growth,  to  within  four  hundred  yards  of  him,  where,  at  a 
signal,  they  let  fly  at  him  ;  and  down  he  dropped,  as  they 
expressed  it,  "just  like  um  'possum  !" 

Up  to  the  investment  of  Corinth,  the  pick  and  spade 


48  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

had  been  unknown  in  the  Western  army.  But  we  needed 
this  kind  of  drill  more  than  any  other  experience.  Labor 
of  any  kind  was  never  refused  by  the  Fifty-First ;  and  we 
got  our  full  share  of  it  before  the  war  was  over.  But  there 
were  times  when  untold  gold  would  have  been  paid  for  a 
few  picks  and  shovels,  and  ready  hands  would  have  been 
abundant  to  use  them.  We  had  given  General  Garfield  an 
exhibition  of  our  yeomanry,  in  cutting  down  the  forest ; 
he  gave  us  an  opportunity,  on  the  19th,  to  show  what  we 
could  do  in  the  way  of  throwing  up  earthworks.  Our  divi 
sion  constructed  about  eight  hundred  yards  in  half  a  day. 

May  21,  while  on  picket  near  what  had  been  a  fine 
brick  residence,  a  rebel  orderly  sergeant,  concealed  in  the 
barn,  was  shot  through  the  breast.  We  found  him  there 
n,ext  day,  and  buried  him.  He  had  evidently  not  been  in 
there  long,  as  his  haversack  was  full  of  fine  biscuits. 

The  country  thereabout  was  quite  swampy,  and  our 
engineers  had  plenty  to  do.  We  marched  into  Corinth  on 
Saturday  morning,  May  31,  1862.  Peaches  and  apples 
were  nearly  ripe,  and  we  anticipated  fine  times.  The  most 
objectionable  feature  was  the  extreme  heat  of  the  days  and 
the  intense  cold  of  the  nights.  We  worried  a  great  deal 
then  over  such  things,  but  got  after  while  to  taking  them 
as  they  came. 

The  water  here  was  very  poor,  and  there  was  a  great 
deal  of  sickness  in  consequence.  Water  was  found  twelve 
feet  below  the  surface,  and  hundreds  of  holes,  like  minia 
ture  cellars,  appeared,  with  steps  cut  in  the  yellow  clay 
sides,  to  descend  by.  Frequently  a  soldier's  feet  would 
slip  on  the  moist  steps ,  and  he  would  be  precipitated  to  the 
bottom,  to  the  furious  disgust  of  the  boys  below,  awaiting 
their  turn,  as  well  as  his  own  loss  and  discomfort. 

May  23,  Colonel  Streight's  message  to  his   home  said  : 

"  We  had  quite  a  skirmish  this  morning,  while  out  on  picket.  The 
enemy  opened  on  us  at  daylight,  arid  the  boys  returned  their  fire,  when 
I  ordered  an  advance;  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  5  prisoners,  and 


GENERAL  T.  J.  WOOD. 


WE    MARCH    INTO    CORINTH.  49 

several  of  the  enemy  killed  and  wounded.  We  drove  them  half  a  mile, 
and  held  our  ground  against  three  times  our  numbers.  No  one  hurt  on 
our  side.  I  really  believe  that  the  51st  would  whip  their  weight  in  wild 
cats,  arms  or  no  arms.  We  have  a  fight  every  day,  but  no  general 
engagement." 

Pay-day  came  just  before  we  arrived  at  Corinth  It 
was  very  tiresome  standing  in  line,  hour  after  hour,  await 
ing  the  slow  process  of  paying  off.  An  "alecky"  clerk,  a 
great  deal  bigger,  in  his  own  estimation,  than  a  brigadier 
general,  was  in  attendance,  and  seemed  to  delight  in  the 
confusion  of  the  fellows  who,  though  miserable  writers, 
could  always  be  relied  on  in  any  kind  of  duty,  and  in  the 
hour  of  danger  were  up  at  the  front.  The  sutler  got  most 
of  what  was  coming  to  some,  this  time  ;  but  many  sent 
their  little  allowance  home,  where,  in  many  cases,  it  was 
sadly  needed. 

Corinth  had  at  that  time  some  of  the  homeliest  women 
in  America.  One  writer,  who  had  time  to  observe  all  the 
attractions  of  that  burg,  describes  them  as  "sharp-nosed, 
tobacco-chewing,  snuff-rubbing,  flax-headed,  hatchet-faced, 
yellow-eyed,  sallows-skinned,  cotton-dressed,  flat-breasted, 
bare-headed,  long-waisted,  hump-shouldered,  stoop-necked, 
big-footed,  straddle-toed,  sharp-shinned,  thin-lipped,  pale- 
faced,  lantern-jawed,  silly-looking  damsels." 

If  a  person  wanted  any  article  taken  anywhere,  it  was 
always  "brung,"  or  "fotch,"  or  " toted."  We  could  not 
tarry  long  enough  in  Mississippi  to  get  used  to  its  style. 

GENERAL    WOOD'S    REPORT. 

General  T.  J.  Wood's  report,  covering  the  time  from 
April  29  to  May  30,  says  : 

"After  bivouacking  two  weeks  on  Hhiloh,  with  every  variety  of  dis 
comfort,  intensified  by  absence  of  baggage  and  transportation  and  by 
the  most  inclement  weather,  on  April  29  we  moved  forward  3£  miles  to 
Lick  Creek.  During  the  halt  here,  the  division  constructed  corduroy 
road  three  days.  On  this  the  headquarters  of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio, 
with  the  4th,  5th  and  6th  Divisions  and  reserve  artillery,  advanced  be 
yond  Lick  Creek.  My  division  crossed  May  3,  and  falling  inio  the  main 
road  from  Hamburg  to  Corinth,  camped  near  Mt.  Olivet  church.  On 


50  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  6th,  Gen.  Garfield'8  brigade  had  a  rencontre  with  the  enemy,  with 
an  interchange  of  small  arms  and  shells,  without  casualty  on  our  part. 
Three  prisoners  were  captured.  May  8  was  employed  in  cleaning  up  and 
establishing  the  new  camp.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  10th,  the  division 
was  ordered  to  move  across  the  country  to  the  Hamburg  and  Farming- 
ton  road,  in  the  rear  of  Seven-mile  Creek,  to  the  right  of  Nelson's  divi 
sion.  We  occupied  this  position  one  week.  Heavy  details  were  made 
to  finish  the  road  across  Chambers  Creek,  where  the  route  crossed  it. 
During  this  camp,  several  lessons  were  given  in  division  drill.  On  the 
afternoon  of  the  17th,  this  division  was  ordered  to  have  three  days  cooked 
rations  in  haversacks,  to  cross  Seven-mile  Creek,  carry  tools,  and  occupy 
the  position  on  the  Purdy  and  Farmington  road.  This  was  accom 
plished,  the  troops  skirmishing,  intrenching  and  sleeping  on  their  arms 
all  night.  On  the  following  morning,  18th,  the  outposts  were  strength 
ened,  and  there  was  active  skirmishing  all  day.  The  advance  sentinels 
(videttes, )  were  in  close  range,  and  the  slightest  exposure  of  person  was 
sure  to  be  followed  by  the  sharp  crack  of  a  rifle.  On  the  19th,  we  moved 
to  the  front,  on  the  main  Corinth  road,  with  special  chartre  to  hold  it. 
\Ve  threw  up  a  continuous  line  of  intrenchments,  not  less  than  800  yards, 
in  a  few  hours.  Several  successive  subsequent  days  were  devoted  to  the 
strengthening  of  our  defenses,  and  making  strong  abattis.  On  the  21st 
a  report  was  received  of  a  movement  on  foot  by  the  enemy  about  10 
o'clock  that  night.  I  directed  Garfleld  to  visit  the  outpost,  and  satisfy 
himself.  We  expected  an  attack  next  morning,  and  were  prepared  for 
it.  Deserters  reported  70,000  men  under  the  personal  command  of  Bragg, 
to  attack  our  center.  A  week  passed,  but  that  moment  never  came.  The 
early  morning  of  the  30th  \vas  broken  by  a  loud  sound  of  singular  and 
heavy  explosions." 

General  Buell's  report  adds  : 

u  On  the  evening  of  the  17th  I  moved  my  forces  across  Seven-mile 
Creek  to  the  Farmington  and  Purdy  road.  Some  skirmishing  attended 
this  movement,  which  was  not  completed  till  some  time  after  dark.  The 
right  of  Wood's  division  rested  at  Driver's  house,  on  the  direct  Monterey 
and  Corinth  road.  When  two  miles  from  the  enemy's  works,  I  ordered 
to  intrench.  In  front  of  Wood  was  an  open  field,  bordered  toward  Bridge 
Creek  by  thickly  wooded  spurs  of  high  land,  on  which  we  were  formed. 
The  enemy  occupied  the  woods  in  our  front  with  strong  lines  of  skirmish 
ers  ;  and  till  the  evacuation,  skirmishing,  mingled  witli  artillery,  was 
incessant  along  the  whole  front.  There  was  some  skirmishing  on  the 
29th.  About  4:  30  P.M.  a  message  was  received,  thai  the  enemy  was 
evacuating  Corinth.  There  was  some  rivalry  as  to  which  of  the  three 
armies  first  entered  the  enemy's  works." 

But  he  has  no  word  of  commendation  in  this  connec 
tion,  for  the  soldiers,  who  through  all  that  exhibition  of 
assininity  and  incapacity,  endured  so  cheerfully. 


REPAIRING    RAILROAD.  51 

After  the  evacuation  of  Corinth,  we  proceeded  east. 
Beauregard  well  away,  and  Halleck  over  his  scare,  the 
Army  of  the  Mississippi  (or  Ohio,)  started  on  a  campaign 
that  for  thorough  exhaustion  of  body  and  soul,  had  not  its 
equal  in  the  history  of  that  department.  It  occupied  about 
five  months  ;  and  while  begun  ostensibly  for  the  possession 
of  Chattanooga,  did  not  stop  till  the  whole  army  had  swept 
through  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  to  the  Ohio  River,  and 
half  way  back. 

RAILROADING. 

June  1,  1862,  orders  from  headquarters  of  the  Army  of 
the  Ohio  to  Brig.  Gen.  Wood,  commanding  6th  Division, 
announce  that, 

"In  compliance  with  orders  from  Gen.  Halleck,  the  Memphis  and 
Charleston  railroad  from  Corinth  to  Decatur  is  to  be  put  in  order  by  the 
troops  of  this  command.  Your  division  is  assigned  to  the  duty,  and  will 
march  to-morrow  morning,  and  will  furnish  the  necessary  working  par 
ties  and  guards.  One  brigade  should  be  left  to-morrow  at  camp  on  the 
railroad  about  9  miles  from  Corinth,  which  will  place  it  about  half  way 
between  the  first  and  second  burnt  bridges,  and  it  can  aid  in  the  repair 
of  both.  The  remainder  should  continue  its  march  to  Bear  Creek  bridge, 
and  halt  there  until  the  work  at  that  point  is  completed." 

They  were  to  take  six  days'  rations,  and  draw  from 
Eastport,  011  the  Tennessee  River.  A  squadron  of  cavalry 
was  to  accompany  the  troops,  and  great  caution  was  to  be 
exercised  against  surprise.  Brig.  Gen.  W.  S.  Smith  was 
detailed  to  superintend  the  work.  Gen.  Crittenden's  divi 
sion  was  recalled  next  day,  and  Wood's  pushed  forward. 
Gen.  Nelson  was  directed,  June  3,  to  move  in  the  same 
direction,  and  Gen.  Wood  to  leave  Bear  Creek  as  Nelson 
approached.  June  6,  locomotives  and  cars  were 'sent  up 
the  river  to  Florence,  and  Wood  was  directed  to  send  a 
force  to  protect  their  landing.  Our  division  moved  over 
the  road  by  Farmington,  near  Burnsville,  and  so  on  east, 
known  as  the  old  Alabama  road. 

June  6,  we  arrived  at  luka,  Miss.,  a  railroad  town  of 
1500,  about  one  mile  from  the  Alabama  line.  Here  are 


52  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  luka  Springs,  once  a  popular  resort.     We  remained  at 
that  place  a  short  time  and  recruited  up. 

A    HARD     MARCH. 

June  9,  Wood  was  ordered  to  send  a  brigade  to  Tus- 
cumbia.  A  regiment  from  some  other  division  had  been 
sent  to  Buzzard's  Roost  Creek,  to  encamp  and  furnish  the 
requisite  fatigue  parties.  Mitchell  was  in  danger,  but  it 
was  feared  that  support  could  not  be  sent  to  him  in  time. 

The  roads  were  poor  at  the  best,  but  the  travel  of  the 
army  made  them  almost  impassable.  Miles  and  miles  we 
marched  under  a  scorching  hot  sun,  the  dust  so  thick  we 
could  hardly  breathe,  our  throats  parched  with  heat  and 
thirst,  that  was  illy  relieved  by  the  lukewarm  nasty  water 
in  our  canteens  ;  our  bodies  wreak  from  lack  of  food,  and 
from  lying  on  the  bare  ground.  We  were  compelled  to  go 
for  days  and  days  without  change  of  clothing,  or  even  an 
opportunity  to  remove  our  hot,  dirty,  sweaty  clothing,  that 
reeked  with  vermin,  and  blistered  our  bodies  as  we  threw 
ourselves  on  the  steaming  ground  for  sleep  or  rest.  Then 
it  rained,  and  we  rejoiced  for  a  while  ;  but  when  our  cloth 
ing  got  wet,  we  were  miserable.  We  would  make  a  short 
halt  at  noon,  for  coffee,  and  then  on  through  the  mud  and 
rain .  At  night  we  dried  our  clothes  by  standing  before  a 
fire,  and  turning  round  as  each  exposure  dried  on  us. 

We  began  to  observe  signs  of  general  desertion  by  the 
citizens  ;  tobacco-houses  filled  with  great  quantities  of  leaf 
in  process  of  curing  ;  farm  houses ,  with  immense  grana 
ries,  flocks  and  herds,  left  to  the  mercy  of  whoever  might 
come.  Occasionally  an  ungovernable  hog  or  sheep  would 
find  its  way  into  our  mess  kettle. 

Nature  had  done  much  for  this  section,  and  was  ready 
to  do  as  much  more.  But  agriculture  seemed  there  a  lost 
art.  Thousands  of  acres  lay  uncultivated,  but  the  igno 
rance  of  the  people,  and  their  strong  opposition  to  the  use 
of  improved  farm  implements,  prevented  its  development, 


A  T    T  r  SC  I"  M  B I A  ,   A  L  A  P,  A  M  A  .  O  O 

and  decreased  the  value  of  farms  and   farming  to  a  most 
alarming  degree. 

There  was  evidence  here  of  strained  relations  between 
Halleck  and  Buell,  in  the  confliction  of  their  orders,  that 
resulted  in  numerous  unprofitable  and  unnecessary  move 
ments  by  the  regiments,  and  also  in  Bragg 's  free  passage 
into  Tennessee.  With  the  splendid  army  under  Buell,  it 
ought  to  have  been  impossible  for  Bragg  to  even  approach 
the  Tennessee  River.  In  the  subsequent  examination  into 
Buell's  conduct  of  the  Bragg  campaign  from  Corinth  to  the 
close  of  the  Perry ville  fight,  Gen.  Wood  said,  "I  am  satis 
fied  by  information  received  from  various  sources,  that 
Bragg's  army  led  into  Kentucky,  did  not  exceed  35,000 
men."  Straight  said,  "F*om  facts  I  could  gather,  they 
(the  rebels,)  had  from  30,000  to  35,000." 

AT    TUSCUMBIA. 

Our  next  camp  was  at  Tuscumbia,  Alabama,  alongside 
the  railroad,  where  we  enjoyed  the  delightful  society  of 
millions  of  mosquitoes  and  the  redolent  fragrance  of  many 
neighboring  marshes.  These  mosquitoes  were  enormous, 
and  their  bills  were  longer  than  those  of  a  plumber.  They 
could  easily  pierce  through  two  or  three  government  blan 
kets,  and  the  sting  was  equal  to  the  prodding  of  a  pin,  and 
had  similar  injurious  results.  One  able  writer  has  said 
that  "they' were  built  to  sit  lightly,  bite  deeply,  jump  high 
and  come  again."  That  day  several  of  the  boys  were  over 
come  with  the  heat.  The  writer  only  learned  in  1893  of 
his  obligation  to  J .  P .  Smith ,  who  found  him  unconscious 
on  the  roadside,  and  put  him  in  a  wagon,  in  which  he  was 
hauled  into  camp  ;  and  this  affords  an  opportunity  to  tes 
tify  to  the  faithfulness  of  our  hospital  steward,  in  every 
duty  he  was  called  upon  to  perform . 

Many  of  the  boys  fell  by  the  wayside  that  day,  from 
sheer  exhaustion  and  sunstroke  ;  from  which  none  ever 
entirely  recovered.  They  were  picked  up  and  placed  in 


54  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

ambulances  and  wagons,  and  carried  into  camp.  Their 
patriotism,  courage  and  nerve  would  not  let  them  give  up, 
though  ;  and  after  a  short  rest,  and  a  little  kind  attention, 
such  as  one  soldier  was  always  ready  to  give  another,  they 
renewed  the  struggle,  and  staggered  along  under  the  broil 
ing  sun,  to  the  end  of  the  journey. 

At  Tuscumbia  occurred  the  interview  between  William 
Alfred  Summers  and  a  colored  lady,  the  revival  of  which 
by  his  comrades,  was  the  bane  of  his  life  during  the  rest  of 
his  service. 

AT    TOWN    CREEK,    ALABAMA. 

Sunday  morning,  June  15,  we  marched  fourteen  miles 
to  Town  Creek,  Alabama.  Colonel  Streight  had  command 
of  the  forces,  four  regiments  of  infantry  and  two  companies 
of  cavalry,  and  was  constructing  a  bridge.  Lieut  .-Colonel 
Spooner  had  resigned,  to  take  command  of  the  83d  Indi 
ana,  and  Major  Colescott  was  advanced  to  that  position. 
The  citizens  there  were  very  hostile.  New  potatoes  and 
blackberries  were  plentiful,  and  our  boys  thrived  on  them. 
The  berries  were  the  finest  we  had  ever  seen,  and  enormous 
quantities  were  gathered.  Our  advance  after  Bragg  was 
just  rapid  enough  to  enable  the  berries  to  mature  all  along 
the  route  ;  so  that  we  had  ripe  berries  all  the  way  to  Louis 
ville.  Fishing  at  Town  Creek  was  also  fine,  and  furnished 
rare  sport. 

Lieutenant  Jonathan  Dimbar  had  command  of  Co.  K 
here.  While  drilling  the  company  one  day,  he  wanted  to 
separate  the  lines;  and  sung  out,"  Tention  !  company. 
Rear  open — open — open!"  But  he  could  get  no  further  ; 
he  could  not  recollect  the  rest  of  the  command.  The  boys 
got  ready  to  obey  promptly,  but  no  one  moved.  Again  the 
doughty  lieutenant  shouted,  "Rear  open — open — open!" 
and  again  the  boys  prepared  to  execute  the  movement ;  but 
no  one  stirred.  When  he  again  repeated  it,  the  irreverent 
ones  snorted.  This  enraged  the  officer ;  and  brandishing 


"ROBERT  RIDLEY,  OH!" 


his  sword,  he   exclaimed,   "I  have  been   a  Justice  of  the 
Peace,   Sheriff  of  Hancock  county,  and  held  other  offices 
with  credit ;   but  whenever  I  get  out  before  Company  K,  I 
get  my  finger  in  my  mouth.     Company's  dismissed  !: 
"BOB  RIDLEY." 

A  "contraband,"  in  the  form  of  a  tall,  double-jointed 
mulatto,  came  to  us  here.  We  called  him  "Bob  Ridley.' 
He  made  himself  useful  in  a  variety  of  ways.  He  could 
harness  a  team,  cook  a  dinner,  dance  a  jig  or  convert  him 
self  into  an  orchestra  for  other  darkies  to  dance  to.  His 
knee-joints  turned  sidewise,  and  his  long  spindle-legs  had 
a  comical  appearance,  as  he  described  the  most  marvelous 
contortions,  keeping  time  to  his  own  music,  made  by  a 
combination  of  his  voice  and  a  set  of  cane  reeds,  which  he 
manipulated  with  wonderful  dexterity,  and  some  melody. 
He  was  also  an  accomplished  sprinter,  and  won  several 
small  stakes  in  races  among  the  boys  of  our  regiment.  He 
evinced  a  profound  admiration  for  John  P.  Smith,  and  on 
one  occasion  put  up  a  dollar  on  him,  in  a  race.  Some  one 
suggested  that  he  might  lose  his  dollar. 

"Don't  you  be  'lawmed.     He  don't  do  nothin'  but  fly  ! 

"Ridley"  was  not  disappointed. 

FORWARD    TO    DECATUR. 

In  a  few  days,  three  companies  proceeded  eight  miles 
further  east,  to  Courtland  ;  leaving  tents  and  equipments 
behind;  then  seven  miles  further,  where  they  repaired  a 
small  bridge.  Their  baggage  was  forwaded  to  them  there. 
The  same  night  they  were  overwhelmed  by  a  terrific  storm, 
that  destroyed  everything  perishable.  It  cooled  the  atmos 
phere,  though,  and  made  the  march  next  day  delightful. 
The  balance  of  the  regiment  had  come  up  by  this  time. 
Our  march  of  fourteen  miles  was  made  with  ease,  bringing 
us  to  Decatur,  on  the  Tennessee  River.  On  the  Saturday 
following  we  entered  the  town,  and  crossed  the  river,  that 
at  this  point  is  nearly  a  mile  wide.  Eleven  formidable 


56  FIFTY- FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

piers  remained  of  the  once  magnificent  bridge,  that  had 
been  burned  by  General  Mitchell.  We  crossed  on  a  ferry 
formed  by  an  old  rebel  gunboat  flanked  on  either  side  by  a 
flatboat.  John  W.  Wells,  of  Co.  C,  swam  across,  accom 
panied  by  several  other  expert  swimmers.  We  camped  in 
a  cotton  field  on  Pine  Creek,  in  the  vicinity  of  Mooresville, 
a  short  distance  east  of  Decatur,  and  near  the  Memphis 
and  East  Tennessee  railroad.  Figs  were  abundant,  and 
china  trees  furnished  us  a  delightful  shade.  We  also  had 
a  splendid  spring  of  clear  water.  Every  one  was  living 
better  than  for  some  time.  Butter  was  selling  at  40  cents, 
and  potatoes,  $2.  Adjutant  Ramsey  was  absent,  sick,  and 
Captain  Willis  was  also  at  home  on  sick  furlough. 

The  same  evening,  after  we  crossed  the  river,  Co.  C 
was  detailed  for  picket  one  mile  south  of  Decatur.  It  was 
the  misfortune  of  one  squad  on  this  force,  to  be  attacked 
early  next  morning  by  a  vicious  man-eating  shoat,  which 
they  were  compelled  to  destroy,  to  save  their  lives.  One  of 
them  thrust  his  bayonet  through  the  ferocious  beast,  and 
held  it  while  another  comrade  almost  pounded  its  head  off 
with  a  fence-rail.  While  two  of  them  skinned  the  animal, 
another  borrowed  a  kettle  from  a  house  near  by,  filling  it 
at  the  well,  in  which  they  cooked  the  pork  ;  and,  to  avoid 
any  possible  interruption,  as  well  as  to  remove  suspicion, 
one  of  the  boys  went  in  and  played  with  the  baby,  while 
the  rest  got  breakfast,  adding  to  the  variety  a  nice  panful 
of  potatoes  from  the  field  on  the  other  side  of  the  fence. 

June  30,  1862  :  We  had  just  returned  from  a  trip  up 
the  river  six  miles,  hunting  a  band  of  guerrillas.  We  had 
failed  to  find  them.  Some  of  our  boys  were  very  sick  in 
camp,  and  Richard  H.  Ellis  and  Stephen 'Hilton,  of  Co.  C, 
and  James  H.  Parker,  of  Co.  E,  died  here.  Hilton  was 
ordered  out  on  a  sort  of  convalescents'  brigade  drill,  and 
got  as  far  as  the  foot  of  company  quarters,  where  he  fell  in 
the  dead  ashes  of  a  camp-fire,  and  expired  in  a  few  min 
utes.  They  were  buried  by  each  other  just  out  of  camp. 


KOI'KTH     OK    .ll'l,Y     IN    CAMP.  57 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  ushered  in  by  a  federal  salute 
of  thirteen  guns.  About  10  A.  M.,  our  brigade,  with  Gen. 
Garfield  at  the  head,  marched  to  a  beautiful  grove  near  by, 
where  we  were  joined  by  the  15th  Brigade,  Stacking  our 
arms,  we  rallied  on  the  speaker's  stand,  a  primitive  affair, 
where,  after  prayer,  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was 
read  and  heartily  cheered.  Col.  J.  W.  Blake,  of  the  40th 
Indiana,  spoke  briefly,  and  was  followed  by  General  Gar- 
field,  in  a  most  powerful,  beautiful  and  stirring  address. 
His  rich,  full  voice,  echoing  the  patriotic  sentiments  of  his 
great  heart,  was  listened  to  with  eagerness,  and  responded 
to  at  the  close,  with  a  yell  .that  made  the  old  woods  ring. 
Then  a  choir  sang  "Star  Spangled  Banner."  Other  short 
speeches  were  made,  and  the  brigade  band  interspersed  a 
number  of  fine  selections.  At  noon  a  national  salute  was 
fired  by  the  6th  Ohio  Battery .  Then  followed  games ,  such 
as  throwing  balls,  wrestling,  foot-racing,  blindfold  race,  a 
man  running  against  a  horse,  (in  which  Al.  Morrison,  of 
Co.  F,  and  Jonty  Peterson,  of  Co.  C,  excelled,)  jumping, 
and  somersaults.  General  Garfield  offered  a  prize  of  $20 
for  the  fleetest  sprinter  in  the  brigade.  Our  Co.  A  moun 
taineer,  J.  P.  Smith,  took  the  money  in  a  fair  test.  He 
had  then  to  run  with  the  crack  racer  of  the  division  ;  and 
came  off  again  as  easy  a  winner  as  before.  After  the  day's 
sport,  we  returned  to  camp. 


The  Fifty-First  was  missionary,  as  well  as  vicarious  ; 
and  when  we  learned  that  in  the  mountains  25  or  30  miles 
south  of  Decatur,  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  point  known 
as  Davis'  Gap,  there  were  hundreds  of  loyal  Union  people, 
who  had  refused  to  join  their  traitorous  neighbors,  and 
many  of  whom  had  fled  to  the  mountains  to  escape  rebel 
conscription,  our  hearts  went  out  toward  them.  Some  of 
them  came  to  the  Union  army,  stealing  through  mountain 
passes,  twenty,  forty,  sixty,  and  even  ninety  miles,  aided 


58  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

by  a  sort  of  " underground  railroad"  system  like  that  by 
which  the  former  runaway  slaves  made  their  escape  from 
their  brutal  masters,  through  Ohio  and  Indiana  to  Canada. 

Colonel  Streight  conceived  a  plan,  which  upon  careful 
inquiry,  met  with  a  hearty  response  by  every  man  in  the 
regiment.  This  plan  was  submitted  to  deparment  head 
quarters,  and  full  authority  was  granted  for  its  execution. 
Accordingly,  Saturday  morning,  July  12,  we  crossed  the 
river,  and  accompanied  by  a  small  detachment  from  Co.  I, 
1st  Ohio  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Capt.  Stephen  C.  Writer, 
and  several  Alabama  refugees  for  pilots,  we  set  out  for  the 
mountains.  The  sun  poured  down  upon  us  furiously  all 
day,  and  we  were  all  loaded  down  to  the  guards  with  four 
days' rations  and  indispensable  baggage;  for  we  were  not 
allowed  even  a  mule  for  transportation.  This,  with  sixty 
rounds  of  ammunition,  and  guns,  made  us  sweat.  The 
boys  suffered  a  little  for  water ,  but  no  one  dared  fall  out ; 
for  there  were  no  ambulances,  and  the  chances  for  bush- 
whackers  were  too  good  to  take  any  risks.  At  six  o'clock 
that  evening,  our  rear  guard  was  fired  into  ;  and  we  halted 
and  scoured  the  woods,  but  without  results.  Half  a  mile 
further  on,  the  pilots  came  rushing  back  to  us,  with  the 
information  that  the  guerrillas  were  just  ahead,  and  had 
captured  one  of  the  guides  and  stolen  a  horse.  During 
this  time,  Captain  Writer's  squad  had  been  sent  ahead  to 
notify  the  Union  people  of  our  approach,  and  to  give  them 
time  to  collect  at  Col.  Davis'  house  by  the  time  we  arrived. 
The  cavalry  was  attacked  by  several  times  their  numbers, 
routed,  part  of  them,  including  the  captain,  shot,  others 
taken  prisoners,  and  the  remainder  made  their  way  back 
to  our  regiment. 

We  arrived  at  Col.  Davis'  at  dark,  and  Col.  Streight 
knocked  at  the  door.  An  elderly  lady  opened  the  door,  to 
whom  the  officer  said  : 

"Does  Col.  Davis  live  here?" 

"He  does." 


59 


AT    DAVIS      GAP. 

11 Is  he  at  home?" 

"He  is  not." 

"We  are  Union  troops,  who  have  heard  of  your  suf 
fering,  and  have  come  to  relieve  you." 

She  still  hesitated. 

"Do  you  believe  me?" 

' '  I  dislike  to  dispute  your  word ,  but — ' ; 

At  this  juncture  a  young  lady  came  to  the  door,  and 
asked,  "Have  you  any  of  the  Alabama  boys  with  you?" 

They  were  called  up  from  the  rear.  While  they  were 
coming,  she  proceeded  : 

"We  have  been  so  often  deceived  by  guerrillas,  that 
we — 0,  is  that  you,  John?" 

And  she  sprang  into  the  arms  of  her  husband,  who 
had  been  hiding  out  for  months. 

"Thank  God!  we  are  safe  !"  exclaimed  the  old  lady. 
"Now  I  can  have  the  old  man  here  in  a  few  minutes.  He 
is  just  back  here  in  the  mountains." 

And  soon  an  old  man  of  73  years,  who  had  lived  on 
that  farm  44  years,  and  was  known  as  a  quiet,  peaceable, 
pious  man,  was  led  in.  He  had  been  driven  from  home, 
by  threats  of  rebel  vengeance,  to  seek  refuge  in  the  caves 
and  secluded  retreats  of  those  dismal  mountains. 

We  got  supper,  and,  wedged  in  among  the  rocks,  slept 
till  3  o'clock  ;  a  detail  in  the  meantime  scouring  about  to 
find  the  wounded  man  of  the  day  before.  What  became 
of  him  can  only  be  conjectured  from  the  official  report. 

Sunday  night  found  us  with  over  fifty  recruits.  They 
came  to  us  all  day  Monday,  like  doves  to  the  windows.  In 
the  evening  we  had  speeches  by  Col.  Straight,  Adjutant 
Ramsey  and  Hon.  Chris.  Sheets  ;  the  latter  having  been  a 
member  of  the  convention  in  wrhich  Alabama  seceded,  and 
prominent  among  the  few  who  firmly  refused  to  sign  the 
ordnance  of  secession.  He  presented  the  absolute  alterna 
tive  of  being  forced  into  an  army  with  which  they  had  no 
sympathy,  and  fighting  those  they  loved,  for  a  cause  they 


60  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

hated  ;  or  joining  the  Union  array,  and  contending  against 
a  foe  to  God  and  man,  and  that  must  be  put  down  before 
peace,  quietude  and  prosperity  could  again  prevail.  Said 
he,  "To-morrow  I  am  going  to  the  Union  army.  I  am 
going  to  expose  this  fiendish  villainy  before  the  world  !" 

During  the  colonel's  speech,  in  one  of  his  wild  nights 
he  said,  "If  I  had  the  scoundrelly  rebels,  I  would  hang 
them  so  high — hang  them  so  high — their  feet  would  n't 
touch  the  ground  ! ' ' 

HEART-RENDING    SCENES. 

Tuesday  morning,  our  time  being  up,  we  were  forced 
to  return  to  camp,  31  or  32  miles.  About  7  o'clock  a  com 
pany  of  twenty  men  were  seen  approaching,  preceded  by  a 
woman.  They  were  received  with  cheers  of  delight.  The 
woman  told,  with  streaming  eyes,  how  she  had  passed  the 
guerrillas,  to  find  her  husband  and  son,  34  miles  back  in 
the  mountains.  She  was  55  years  old,  and  rode  a  poor 
old  horse  ;  yet  she  had  made  the  trip  in  thirty  hours  ;  at 
the  same  time  hunting  for  other  friends,  and  cooking  their 
breakfast.  There  were  few  dry  eyes  in  that  camp. 

The  final  moment  then  came  to  start.  The  men  were 
formed  in  line — 150  in  all,  and  the  time  came  to  say  good 
bye — to  leave  those  families  to  the  merciless  cruelty  and 
outrage  that  all  feared. 

' '  Attention  !     Forward  march  ! ' ' 

A  wild  shriek — sobs  and  pitiful  pleadings  to  heaven  ; 
and  we  moved  away  from  a  scene  of  suffering  that  it  is  not 
possible  to  describe. 

Darkness  came  on  us  seven  miles  below  Decatur,  and 
we  bivouacked  for  the  night ;  arriving  at  Decatur  about  6 
o'clock  next  morning. 

The  Alabamians  were  formed  into  a  battalion,  and 
were  subsequently  assigned  to  the  1st  Tennessee  Cavalry. 
Col.  Straight  asked  for  permission  to  return  to  the  same 
place  with  his  regiment,  with  two  weeks'  rations  and  500 


COLONEL  STREIGHT'S  REPORT.  61 

extra  stands  of  arms,  and  rally  the  mountaineers  ;  but  was 
refused . 

COLONEL  STREIGHT'S  OFFICIAL  REPORT. 

f  "  HUQRS.  51  ST  IND.  VOL., 

\Camp  near  Mooresville,  July  16,  1862. 

While  in  command  at  Decatur,  there  were  several  small  parties  of 
loyal  Alabamians  who  came  into  our  lines,  begging  me  to  give  them 
protection  and  a  chance  to  defend  the  flag  of  our  country.  The  tale  of 
suffering  and  misery,  as  told  by  each  as  they  arrived,  was  in  itself  a  la 
mentable  history  of  the  deplorable  condition  of  the  Union  people  of  the 
South.  Notwithstanding  the  oft  repeated  assertion  that  there  was  a 
strong  Union  sentiment  in  portions  of  the  cotton  States,  I  had  long  since 
given  up  all  hopes  of  finding  the  people  entertaining  it ;  hence  I  was  at 
first  incredulous  as  to  what  they  said,  and  even  suspicious  that  they  were 
spies  belonging  to  the  enemy,  but  as  their  numbers  increased,  each  cor 
roborating  the  story  of  the  other,  I  at  last  became  convinced  that  the 
matter  was  worthy  of  notice. 

About  this  time  (10th  inst.,)  I  was  informed  by  a  courier  that  there 
was  a  party  of  about  40  men  some  5  or  6  miles  toward  the  mountain, 
trying  to  come  to  us,  and  about  the  same  number  ot  the  enemy's  cavalry 
were  between  them  and  Decatur,  trying  to  intercept  and  capture  them. 
As  my  orders  were  to  defend  the  town  only,  I  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to 
send  out  assistance  to  the  Union  men,  without  further  orders  ;  and  there 
being  no  telegraph  communication  with  you,  I  at  once  informed  Gen. 
Buell  by  telegraph,  of  the  circumstances,  whereupon  I  received  the  fol 
lowing  reply : 

'Huntsville,  Ala.,    -       1862. 

Col.  A.  D.  Streight,  51st  Ind.  Vol.: 

Send  out  what  force  you  deem  sufficient  to  assist  the  Union 
men  in,  and  drive  off  the  rebel  cavalry,  and  see  that  they  are  not  play 
ing  a  trick  to  draw  you  out  by  these  reports. 

JAMES  B.  FRY,  Col.  and  Chief  of  Staff.' 

Owing  to  a  storm  that  was  passing  over  the  telegraph  lines  at  the 
time,  the  above  was  not  received  until  near  three  hours  after  I  sent  Gen, 
Buell  the  first  dispatch.  As  soon  as  I  received  the  foregoing  instructions 
from  Col.  Fry,  I  at  once  ordered  3  companies  of  my  regiment,  under 
Maj.  Colescott,  to  cross  the  river  with  their  arms  and  full  40  rounds  of 
cartridges.  This  was  done  in  the  least  possible  time,  but  just  as  the  3 
companies  were  in  line  ready  to  march,  another  courier  arrived,  stating 
that  the  Alabama  boys  had  succeeded  in  avoiding  the  rebels  and  had  got 
within  our  lines;  but  a  short  time  elapsed  before  they  arrived.  Such 
were  the  manifestations  of  joy  and  gladness  exhibited  by  them,  that  all 
doubts  were  fully  expelled  from  my  mind,  whereupon  I  resolved  to  go  to 
the  assistance  of  those  who  were  left  behind,  providing  I  could  get  per 
mission  to  do  so.  Consequently  I  telegraphed  the  following  : 


62  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

1  Decatur,  Ala.,  July  10,  1862. 

Col.  J.  B.  Fry,  A.  A.  G.  and  Chief  of  Staff: 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  report  to  you  that  the  party 
of  Alabama  volunteers  has  just  arrived,  and  40  of  them  have  been  mus 
tered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States.  Their  accounts  of  the  hard 
ships  endured  are  sufficient  to  enlist  the  sympathies  of  the  hardest  heart. 
They  report  that  there  are  several  hundred  who  would  come  but  for  the 
danger  of  passing  from  the  foot  of  the  mountain  here,  some  25  miles 
distant.  If  you  will  give  me  one  company  of  cavalry  to  take  with  my 
regiment,  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  I  could,  by  going,  say  15  miles  toward 
the  foot  of  the  mountains,  and  then  sending  out  a  few  of  these  new 
recruits  to  notify  their  neighbors,  within  four  days  time  bring  back  with 
me  at  least  500  volunteers.  If  you  will  allow  me  to  make  the  experi 
ment,  my  word  for  it  I  will  return  safely  with  my  command. 
I  am,  sir,  your  most  obt.  servt., 

A.  D.  STKEIGHT,  Col.  51st  I.  V.' 

Nothing  was  heard  from  the  foregoing  dispatch  till  about  2  p.  M.,  the 
next  day,  (July  11,)  when  Capt.  Lennard  handed  me  the  following  com 
munication  from  Col.  Fry  to  Gen.  Wood,  with  verbal  instructions  to 
carry  out  its  provisions: 

'HDQRS.  Huntsville,  Ala,,  July  11,  1862. 

GEN.  WOOD:  Col.  Streight  reports  that  there  are  several  hundred 
men  about  25  miles  south  of  Decatur,  who  are  trying  to  come  on  to  join 
our  army,  and  Col.  Streight  is  anxious  to  go  with  his  regiment  to  bring 
them  in.  You  can  order  an  expedition  of  this  kind.  In  doing  so,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  send  another  regiment  to  take  Col.  Streight's  place  near 
Decatur.  It  will  not  be  practicable  for  you  to  cross  cavalry  over  to  send, 
but  the  Colonel  can  take  any  cavalry  that  may  be  at  Decatur.  Instruct 
Col.  Streight  to  be  cautious,  and  not  expose  his  command  to  ambuscade 
or  surprise  or  to  attack  from  superior  force.  He  should  not  be  gone  more 
than  3  or  4  days,  and  must  take  no  baggage.  He  must  be  careful  and 
not  let  the  people  suppose  that  his  presence  indicates  a  permanent  occu 
pation,  and  thus  lead  them  into  demonstrations  for  which  the  rebels 
would  make  them  suffer  after  our  withdrawal.  Give  such  orders  for  the 
details  and  precautionary  instructions  as  the  case  may  seem  to  you  to 
require.  JAS.  B.  FRY,  Col.  and  Ch.  of  Staff.' 

Upon  the  receipt  of  the  above,  I  proceeded  to  get  my  command  in 
readiness  for  the  expedition  as  quickly  as  possible.  Four  days'  rations 
were  ordered,  and  one  camp-kettle  to  each  company.  The  haversacks 
holding  only  3  days'  rations,  we  filled  the  kettles  and  buckets  out  of  the 
remainder,  and  decided  to  get  along  as  best  we  could  under  the  circum 
stances.  The  guides  were  selected  to  conduct  us  to  the  Union  settlement, 
who  were  also  to  act  as  couriers  to  inform  their  friends  of  the  nature  of 
our  mission.  There  were  but  16  men  and  the  captain  of  Co.  D,  1st  Ohio 
Cav.,  at  Decatur,  wTho  were  also  put  in  readiness  to  march. 

In  accordance  with  these  arrangements,    we  moved  off  at  daylight 


STREIC.HT'S  REPORT  OF  DAVIS'  GAT.  63 

on  the  12th  inst.,  in  the  direction  of  a  place  called  Davis'  Gap,  some  9 
miles  southeast  of  Danville,  and  25  south  of  Decatur.  The  cavalry  were 
thrown  out  in  advance  a  suitable  distance,  to  give  notice  ot  the  approach 
of  an  enemy,  and  a  strong  advance  and  rear  guard  was  at  all  times  kept 
in  readiness  for  immediate  action.  When  we  had  proceeded  some  12 
miles  on  our  way,  being  unable  to  hear  anything  of  the  enemy,  I  ordered 
the  captain  commanding  the  cavalry  to  proceed  with  his  command  in 
advance  with  3  of  the  guides,  and  escort  them  as  far  toward  Davis'  Gap 
as  he  should  deem  safe,  so  as  to  allow  the  guides  to  give  the  information 
to  the  Union  people  that  we  were  coming.  I  gave  him  the  most  positive 
instructions  to  make  diligent  inquiry  relative  to  the  enemy,  and  to  go  no 
farther  than  he  could  with  perfect  safety,  and  as  soon  as  he  arrived  near 
enough  to  the  mountains  to  enable  the  guides  to  get  through,  he  should 
fall  back  at  once  and  rejoin  me,  I  at  this  time  having  ascertained  that  it 
would  in  all  probability  be  necessary  for  me  to  go  about  23  miles,  instead 
of  15,  the  distance  I  at  first  expected,  but  did  not  expect  to  be  able  to  get 
through  the  first  day. 

Under  these  instructions  he  proceeded  somewhat  faster  than  the 
infantry  could  march,  consequently  when  he  arrived  some  22  miles  from 
Decatur,  (10  miles  from  where  he  left  us,)  he  was  probably  not  more 
than  5  or  6  miles  ahead  of  my  regiment ;  but  it  being  very  hot  in  the 
middle  of  the  day,  we  halted  to  rest;  expecting  the  cavalry  to  rejoin  us, 
as  ordered.  In  direct  disobedience  to  my  orders,  the  cavalry  spent  about 
an  hour's  time  in  scouting  about  the  country  after  they  had  escorted  the 
guides  to  within  3  miles  of  the  mountains,  after  which  they  stopped  at  a 
Mr.  Mentor's  house,  and  ordered  dinner;  there  they  spent  about  3  hours 
more.  The  captain  was  warned  when  he  first  arrived  in  the  neighbor 
hood,  that  40  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  were  within  6  miles  of  him  ;  yet, 
with  these  facts  before  him,  as  I  have  above  shown,  he  spent  nearly  four 
hours  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mr.  Mentor's  house;  a  sufficient  time  to 
have  returned  to  Decatur,  if  necessary,  much  less  to  rejoin  me. 

About  5 : 30  o'clock  he  was  attacked  by  upward  of  40  of  the  enemy's 
cavalry  and  guerrillas.  Here  again  his  conduct  seems  to  have  been  very 
injudicious,  for  although  there  were  several  log  buildings  that  he  could 
have  held  against  any  force  the  enemy  could  bring  to  bear  against  him, 
yet,  instead  of  occupying  them,  after  exchanging  a  few  shots,  in  which 
one  of  his  men  was  wounded,  and  2  of  the  enemy  killed  and  2  wounded, 
he  ordered  a  retreat  across  the  field,  which  .seems  to  have  been  accom 
plished  very  precipitately,  especially  when  taking  into  consideration  the 
fact  that  the  enemy  did  not  pursue  him  but  a  few  rods,  and  that  too  on 
foot.  Four  of  his  men  got  lost  from  the  balance.  He  proceeded  in  a 
westerly  circuitous  route  to  Decatur,  where  he  arrived  the  evening  of  the 
same  day  with  12  of  his  men. 

In  the  meantime  I  had  arrived  to  within  2  miles  of  the  place  where 
he  was  attacked,  before  the  enemy  had  left,  and  I  think  I  would  have 
been  in  time  to  have  done  them  justice,  had  I  not  halted  to  chastise  some 


64  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

guerrillas  who  had  the  impudence  to  tire  into  my  rear  guard  ;  but  as  it 
was,  we  arrived  just  in  time  to  see  the  chivalry  put  spurs  to  their  horses 
and  leave  hurriedly  to  the  eastward,  thus  showing  conclusively  that  the 
enemy  did  not  follow  our  cavalry.  We  bivouacked  that  night  23  miles 
from  Decatur,  and  within  1  mile  of  where  the  skirmish  took  place. 

The  next  day  was  spent  in  ascertaining  what  we  could  relative  to  the 
extent  of  the  damage  done  to  the  cavalry  and  in  notifying  the  people  in 
the  mountains  that  they  could  now  have  a  chance  to  join  the  Union 
army.  I  ascertained  the  loss  of  our  cavalry  in  the  engagement  to  be  1 
man  missing,  who  when  last  seen,  some  2  miles  from  where  the  skir 
mish  took  place,  was  wounded  in  the  thigh  (not  seriously,)  and  1  taken 
prisoner,  1  horse  killed  and  1  disabled.  Three  cavalrymen  came  in  early 
in  the  morning  without  horses,  but  our  boys  succeeded  in  finding  the 
horses  and  equipments  near  where  they  were  left.  The  captain's  sword 
was  also  found  about  100  rods  from  where  the  fight  occurred. 

I  soon  became  convinced  that  the  time  set  for  me  to  return  was  in 
sufficient  for  me  to  accomplish  the  object  of  my  mission.  The  news  of 
the  defeat  of  our  cavalry  spread  over  the  country  like  a  fire  on  a  prairie, 
causing  great  consternation  among  the  Union  people  and  boldness  on 
the  part  of  the  guerrillas.  The  guides  became  frightened,  and  it  was  very 
difficult  to  induce  them  to  leave  my  command.  However,  after  laboring 
under  all  these  difficulties,  we  succeeded  in  bringing  back  with  us  150 
volunteers.  Several  small  parties  that  started  to  join  us  failed  to  get, 
there  in  time.  One  party,  numbering  34  men,  were  within  20  miles  of 
us  at  daylight  the  morning  we  left,  and  although  a  messenger  arrived, 
giving  me  that  information  when  we  had  marched  but  a  short  distance 
on  our  return,  yet  I  was  ordered  to  return  within  4  days  time,  and  could 
wait  no  longer. 

At  11  A.  M.  vesterday  we  took  up  our  line  of  march  for  Decatur,  and 
when  we  had  proceeded  about  4  miles  from  our  encampment  we  were 
informed  that  the  enemy's  cavalry  about  500  strong,  were  posted  at  the 
crossing  of  the  road,  about  1  mile  ahe&d.  The  country  being  thickly 
wooded,  I  had  nothing  to  fear  from  mounted  men,  but  supposing  that 
they  might  dismount  and  act  as  infantry,  I  deployed  Cos.  A  and  F  on 
each  side  of  the  road  in  advance  as  skirmishers,  at  the  same  time  order 
ing  Co.  D  forward  in  the  road  to  form  a  reserve,  and  also  to  deploy  6  men 
in  advance  to  act  as  signal-men,  1  company  having  been  previously 
detailed  to  act  as  rear  guard.  They  too  were  ordered  to  throw  out  skir 
mishers  on  the  flanks,  to  avoid  an  undiscovered  approach  from  either  of 
these  directions.  The  Alabamians  had  previously  been  placed  next  to 
the  rear  guard.  Having  advanced  the  skirmishers  and  advance  reserves 
some  400  yards,  I  ordered  the  whole  battalion  to  move  forward,  each  in 
dividual  and  company  to  keep  their  relative  position*.  In  this  order  we 
proceeded,  but  as  we  approached  the  position  occupied  by  the  enemy, 
they  fled  before  us  without  firing  a  gun. 

It  now  became  apparent  to  me  that  the  intention  of  the  enemy  was 


r ATTAIN    WRITER'S  OFFICIAL   REPORT.  65 

to  harass  our  inarch,  and  as  the  country  was  mostly  wooded,  I  concluded 
to  continue  the  march  in  the  order  above  referred  to,  thus  avoiding  the 
possibility  of  running  into  an  ambuscade  or  of  being  surprised.  The  en 
emy  fell  back  as  we  approached,  for  about  2  miles,  when  they  turned 
eastward.  For  some  time  afterward  I  was  expecting  a  demonstration 
upon  our  rear,  and  made  preparations  accordingly.  We  proceeded  to 
march  in  this  manner  for  12  miles,  frequently  relieving  the  skirmishers 
by  sending  out  others,  without  further  molestation.  It  was  now  getting 
dark,  and  we  were  within  7  miles  of  Decatur,  when  we  concluded  to 
bivouac  for  the  night.  Strong  pickets  were  thrown  out  in  every  ap 
proachable  direction.  The  boys  were  allowed  to  sleep  till  3  o'clock  next 
morning,  when  they  were  awakened,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  daylight  we 
were  on  our  way,  and  arrived  at  Decatur  at  6: 80  A.M.,  bringing  back 
every  member  of  my  regiment  who  went  with  us. 

The  misunderstanding,  by  reason  of  which  the  1st 
Ohio  Cavalry  squad  got  so  far  in  advance  of  our  regiment, 
cost  the  "critter-back"  fellows  a  great  deal.  Coming  to  a 
farm-house,  they  were  prevailed  upon  to  eat  dinner.  They 
did  what  good  soldiers  should  never  do,  laid  their  weapons 
aside,  feeling  secure,  and  applied  themselves  to  the  enjoy 
ment  of  the  hospitality  of  the  mistress.  While  absorbed 
thus,  they  were  surrounded  by  bushwhackers,  and  had  a 
narrow  escape  from  death  or  capture.  Our  advance  came 
up  just  in  time  to  save  them.  The  captain  and  a  few  of 
his  men  made  their  way  back  to  Decatur.  The  report  that 
the  captain  died  there,  is  not  correct,  as  is  shown. 

REPORT    OF    CAPT.   S.  C.   WRITER,   1ST    OHIO  CAVALRY. 

"  Decatur  Ala.,  July  16,  1862. 
COL.  MINOR  MILLIKEN, 

Comdg.  1st  Ohio  Cav.i 

I  should  have  sent  you  the  following  official  infor 
mation  with  regard  to  my  late  expedition  sooner,  but  I  did  not  until  this 
morning  learn  the  full  details  from  some  of  my  men  who  were  detained 
with  the  infantry  regiment  which  accompanied  us  at  the  time  of  starting. 
Late  on  Friday  evening,  the  llth,  Col.  Streight,  of  the  51st  Indiana, 
informed  me  that  he  had  received  permission  from  Gen.  Buell  to  march 
his  regiment  24  miles  into  the  hills,  and  remain  four  days,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  recruiting  its  numbers,  as  many  had  already  come  in,  and  many 
more  would  come  in,  were  they  protected  from  the  bushwhackers  in  their 
immediate  neighborhood,  and  also  received  permission  from  the  general 
to  take  any  cavalry  he  might  find  upon  this  side  of  the  river. 

We  left  Decatur  the  following  morning,  at  sunrise,  and  went  out  six 
5 


66  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

miles.  Col.  Streight  then  ordered  that  I  should  take  five  of  the  new  re 
cruits  which  had  accompanied  us,  and  escort  them  through  to  Col.  Davis', 
17  miles  farther  on,  with  my  cavalry,  which  consisted  of  1  sergeant,  2 
corporals  and  11  privates,  carrying  in  all  12  guns.  I  was  instructed  when 
I  arrived  at  Col,  Davis',  to  impress  any  number  of  horses  that  they 
thought  they  might  require  to  ride  all  through  the  country  to  inform 
Union  men  wishing  to  join  our  army,  that  he  was  there,  ready  to  receive 
them,  they  to  go  on  that  night,  and  require  a  change  of  horses,  it  being 
considered  too  hard  a  day's  work  to  use  the  horses  they  had  that  day 
ridden  through. 

At  the  time  of  parting  with  Col.  Streight,  he  told  me  that  his  regi 
ment  would  undoubtedly  come  up  with  me  that  night;  but  if  it  did  not, 
and  I  considered  it  dangerous  to  remain  there  alone,  to  fall  back  upon  his 
regiment. 

I  arrived  near  Col.  Davis'  all  safe,  put  out  pickets,  fed  horses,  and 
sent  forward  3  men  and  procured  horses  for  3  others.  I  supposed  at  the 
time  I  reached  CoJ.  Davis'  the  infantry  was  8  or  10  miles  back.  The 
place  we  selected  to  feed  was  a  farmyard,  well  fortified  by  corn-cribs, 
stables,  hen-houses  and  pig-pens,  and  might  easily  nave  been  held,  had 
had  any  respectable  number  of  men.  I  suppose  I  had  been  there  alto 
gether  2.1  hours,  when  I  heard  an  alarm  firing  from  our  rear  pickets. 
We  immediately  mounted  our  horses,  rode  out  to  the  pickets,  and  found 
the  enemy  were  approaching  us  with  some  force  mounted,  and  a  very 
considerable  force  dismounted,  and  deploying  right  and  left  of  the  road, 
under  cover  ot  the  woods  and  a  rail  fence,  evidently  intending  to  flank 
us  on  all  sides  and  capture  us.  I  then  ordered  the  men  to  return  to  the 
barn-yard,  tie  up  the  horses,  and  lake  position  behind  our  defenses,  and 
defend  ourselves  as  best  we  could.  The  men  fired  steady  and  with  pre 
cision,  and  staid  their  advance  for  the  time  being ;  but  as  their  force  was 
being  constantly  augmented  from  the  woods,  I  finally  gave  the  order  to 
mount  and  make  our  retreat,  that  being  the  only  way  I  could  the?)  see  to 
save  our  horses.  We  retreated  toward  the  woods  parallel  with  their  line, 
they  keeping  up  a  constant  firing,  it  being  the  only  route  left  open  to  us. 
While  running  the  gauntlet,  3  men  were  wounded,  one  in  the  thigh,  two 
about  the  head ;  the  latter  2  not  seriously.  Two  horses  were  shot  and 
disabled,  and  left  behind. 

When  we  reached  the  woods,  I  gave  directions  that  we  should  turn 
the  enemy's  flank,  go  back  by  their  rear,  and  join  the  infantry  on  the 
Decatur  road,  which  I  then  supposed  to  be  about  4  miles  back  of  where 
we  had  the  skirmish.  1  then  for  the  first  time  discovered  that  5  of  my 
men  were  missing,  and  supposed  that  they  had  got  scattered  from  the 
main  body,  and  would  join  the  infantry  that  night  or  in  the  morning. 
The  country  through  which  we  retreated,  was  a  secession,  guerrilla 
neighborhood,  and  when  within  2J  miles  of  the  main  road,  four  more 
shots  were  fired  upon  us,  and  one  of  my  men  had  his  saber  and  scabbard 
shot  entirely  off  the  belt.  One  mile  farther  on,  I  was  shot,  the  ball  en- 


MOVING    A    LOCOMOTIVE.  (J7 

tering  the  body  near  the  upper  point  of  the  hip-bone,  traversing  down 
and  around  the  hip,  lodging  on  the  inside  of  the  thigh,  nearly  one-third 
of  the  way  down  to  the  knee,  giving  me  a  gunshot  wound  in  my  body 
of  considerably  over  one  foot  in  length.  I  then  determined  to  change 
my  course,  and  come  into  camp  by  a  by-ioad,  which  I  did  that  night  by 
12  o'clock,  having  ridden  18  miles  after  being  shot. 

Three  of  my  missing  men  returned  this  morning,  and  state  that  they 
made  their  way  to  the  infantry  the  next  forenoon.  They  report  2  men 
still  missing,  one  having  been  taken  prisoner,  and  the  other  either  a  pris 
oner  or  killed,  they  were  not  able  to  say  positively  which. 

I  have  lost  3  horses,  (2  shot  and  disabled,  and  the  third  taken  with 
the  prisoner,)  2  full  horse  equipments,  2  carbines,  3  sabers  and  4  pistols. 
The  enemy  had  between  75  and  100  men,  and  report  2  killed  and  2  se 
verely  wounded  upon  their  side.  8.  C.  WRITER, 

Capt.  Comdg.  Co.  I,  1st  Ohio  Cav. 

There  appears  to  be  a  slight  discrepancy  in  the  above 
reports.  You  pay  your  money  and  take  your  choice.  Cap 
tain  Writer  makes  a  very  long  story  about  a  very  short 
squad  ;  but  the  fact  that  he  was  afterward  promoted  to  be 
major  and  lieutenant-colonel  of  his  regiment,  proves  that 
he  was  certainly  regarded  as  a  brave  soldier.  The  reports, 
so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  cavalry  squad,  are  each  entitled 
to  a  little  salt . 

MOVING    A    LOCOMOTIVE. 

While  Colonel  Streight  was  perfecting  his  plan  for  the 
relief  of  the  mountaineers,  an  incident  occurred,  that  ought 
to  have  been  mentioned  before,  and  that  illustrates  the 
capacity  of  our  regiment  for  anything  it  might  be  called  on 
to  do.  The  rebels  had  run  a  locomotive  over  the  bridge  at 
Decatur  just  before  it  was  burned,  and  left  it  standing  on 
the  track,  near  the  river.  Gen.  Wood  ordered  the  Fifty- 
First  to  move  it  across  the  river.  Accordingly,  the  regi 
ment  fitted  up  a  flatboat  and  moved  it  near  the  abutment. 
Strong  ropes  were  then  fastened  to  the  engine,  a  track  was 
built  of  planks  to  the  boat,  and  500  men  let  the  ponderous 
machine  down  the  bank,  floated  it  across  the  river,  and 
put  it  safely  on  the  track,  on  the  other  side,  without  an 
accident.  Just  as  we  reached  the  south  bank,  a  company 


68  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

of  rebel  cavalry  dashed  up  to  where  the  engine  had  stood, 
and  took  a  few  shots  at  us,  but  no  one  was  hurt. 

Col.  Str  eight  to  Col.  Fry,  A.  A.  G.: 

11  Decatur,  July  9,  1862, 

J  have  succeeded  in  safely  landing  the  engine  Sam  Cruse  on  this 
shore  of  the  river.  When  I  arrived  here  yesterday,  about  1  p.  AT.,  the 
boat  that  was  to  convey  the  engine  was  but  partially  framed.  Since  then 
we  have  completed  the  boat,  launched  it,  and  she  has  made  a  successful 
trip,  with  her  valuable  cargo." 

ON    THE    ROAD    AGAIN. 

We  took  passage  from  Mooresville  in  box  cars  on  the 
Memphis  and  Charleston  road.  The  engine  was  insuffi 
cient  to  pull  the  train  up  the  grades  ;  and  the  colonel  would 
order  the  boys  out  to  "push  her  up,"  which  they  did  with 
a  will ;  jumping  on  at  the  top  to  ride  down  the  other  side. 
In  the  meantime  they  busied  themselves  gathering  the  fine 
peaches  that  grew  in  volunteer  bountifulness  all  along  the 
road. 

Monday  morning,  August  11,  we  were  at  Stevenson, 
Alabama,  with  orders  to  prepare  for  a  four  days'  scout. 
We  had  torn  down  many  houses  for  timbers,  with  which 
we  erected  fortifications,  and  were  momentarily  expecting 
an  attack.  Co.  C  made  a  detour  in  the  direction  of  Hunts- 
ville,  and  brought  in  200  negroes,  who  were  put  to  work 
on  the  fortifications.  This  force  was  supplemented  by  one 
of  300  more  "contrabands"  from  other  directions,  and  the 
work  moved  along  briskly.  The  soldiers  were  delighted 
witli  this  new  policy,  and  the  darkies  were  equally  so,  the 
only  drawback  to  the  latter 's  happiness  being  a  dread  of 
having  to  return  to  their  old  masters. 

Our  regiment  yelled  at  everything  they  saw  or  heard. 
When  another  regiment  passed,  they  yelled  at  them  ;  they 
scared  the  darkies  almost  to  death,  with  their  yelling;  as 
they  tumbled  out  to  roll-call  in  the  morning,  they  yelled  ; 
as  they  marched  out  of  camp,  their  voices  went  up  in  a 
muscular  whoop,  that  made  the  foliage  tremble  like  a  leaf; 


MISPLACED    CONFIDENCE.  69 

when  they  returned,  after  a  hard  day's  scouting,  they  were 
never  too  tired  to  hail  the  end  of  their  task  with  a  joyous 
yell.  If  a  mule  broke  loose  and  ran  away,  his  speed  was 
accelerated  by  a  volley  of  yells  all  along  the  line  ;  and  if  a 
dog  happened  to  come  their  way,  they  made  it  livelier  for 
him  than  could  the  most  resonant  can  that  ever  adorned 
his  tail.  Indeed,  bur  whole  army  was  blessed  with  this 
remarkable  faculty.  Sometimes  a  yell  would  start  in  at 
one  end  of  the  division,  and  regiment  after  regiment,  and 
brigade  after  brigade,  would  take  it  up  and  carry  it  along  ; 
then  send  it  back  to  the  other  end  ;  few  knowing  what  it 
was  about,  or  caring  less. 

MISPLACED    CONFIDENCE. 

Henry  Moore  and  Henry  Kirk  were  natural  foragers. 
At  Stevenson  they  got  acquainted  with  an  old  fellow  named 
Osborn,  who  had  two  bright,  good  looking  daughters.  He 
was  an  old  rebel,  and  our  boys  had  but  little  respect  for 
him.  The  old  man  had  two  fine  cows,  however,  and  those 
two  soldiers  conceived  the  idea  of  milking  them.  They 
learned  that  the  family  were  late  risers  ;  so  they  visited  the 
barn  quite  early  each  morning,  and  being  used  to  milking 
at  home,  they  had  no  difficulty  in  relieving  the  well-filled 
udders  before  any  of  the  family  were  up.  The  next  time 
the  boys  called  on  the  ladies,  the  old  man  complained  to 
them  about  the  soldiers  milking  his  cows.  They  sympa 
thized  with  him,  and  said  it  was  a  shame  that  the  soldiers 
should  do  such  things  ;  and  finally  agreed  to  help  him  to 
discover  them.  Some  days  after  that,  Amos  Warrick,  who 
had  been  home,  returned,  and  as  he  messed  and  bunked 
with  these  boys,  they  found  their  bunk  too  small.  Kirk  at 
once  thought  of  Osborn's  barn  door  ;  and,  although  it  was 
midnight,  they  turned  out  and  got  the  door,  and  put  it  in 
the  bottom  of  their  shanty  before  they  went  to  sleep.  Next 
morning  they  were  quite  late  in  going  for  their  milk,  and, 
though  they  escaped  the  Osborns ,  they  did  not  get  back  till 


70  FIFTY- FIRST     INDIANA     REGIMENT. 

after  roll-call.  For  this  they  were  put  on  ''extra  duty," 
and  were  set  to  "policing"  the  company  quarters.  As  the 
company  commander,  Captain  Russell,  was  getting  milk 
of  them  every  day,  the  duty  was  light.  While  they  were 
at  their  task,  Mr.  Osborn  came  into  camp.  Finding  them 
at  such  employment,  he  asked  another  soldier  the  cause  of 
it,  and  was  told  that  they  had  been  out  milking  cows.  He 
"caught  on"  at  once,  and  being  directed  to  their  shanty,  lie 
found  his  barn  door  under  their  blankets.  Thereupon  he 
sailed  up  to  headquarters,  and  informed  Col.  Straight  of  it. 
As  the  colonel  and  adjutant  were  also  flavoring  their  daily 
coffee  with  this  same  brand  of  milk,  Ramsey  put  the  old 
fellow  under  arrest  for  insulting  them  with  such  an  accusa 
tion,  and  made  him  carry  a  rail  for  an  hour.  Kirk  and 
Moore  didn't  call  on  the  Osborn  family  after  that ;  and  the 
daily  supply  of  milk  was  discontinued.  Mr.  Osborn 's  cows 
were  not  disturbed  any  more. 

Stevenson,  July  22,  1862  :  It  wras  very  hot  and  dry. 
Capt.  W.  N.  Denny,  son  of  old  Captain  Denny,  of  Co.  E, 
was  promoted  to  be  major  of  our  regiment. 

While  out  one  night,  scouting  for  some  cattle  that  had 
been  brought  across  the  river  at  that  point,  the  regiment 
came  to  a  dry  creek.  There  was  an  old  canoe  lying  there, 
and  the  chaplain  sat  down  on  it  to  rest.  At  the  same  mo 
ment  a  frog  jumped  up  his  pants,  causing  such  a  tumult, 
that  the  colonel,  who  rode  by  just  then,  supposed  lie  had  a 
convulsion. 

"BUCK  FEVER." 

A  detachment  of  the  regiment  was  sent  to  Crow  Creek, 
six  miles  east  of  Stevenson,  to  guard  a  small  bridge  on  the 
railroad.  While  there,  a  regiment  of  rebel  cavalry  was 
reported  in  the  neighborhood,  and  additional  vigilance  wras 
observed  against  surprise.  One  night,  wThile  on  picket,  a 
vidette,  whose  name  is  withheld  by  request,  saw  in  the  dis 
tant  gloaming  what  to  him  was  a  stalwart  rebel  sneaking, 
half-bent,  toward  the  very  spot  where  the  Union  soldier 


AT    STKVKNSON.  71 

stood,  under  the  shelter  of  a  large  bush.  The  vidette  was 
excited,  and  took  what  old  hunters  know  as  "buck  fever." 
On  came  the  enemy,  now  and  then  raising  his  hea.d  to  peer 
about,  and  get  his  bearings,  then  plunging  forward  among 
the  tall  weeds,  then  stopping  to  listen.  At  length  the  foe 
had  gained  the  road,  on  the  opposite  side  of  which  was  sta 
tioned  the  vidette,  and  as  he  turned  down  the  track,  the 
sentinel  caught  his  breath,  then  depressed  his  bayonet  and 
sprang  upon  the  enemy,  that  with  a  yelp  of  surprise  and 
agony,  bounded  away  in  the  direction  whence  it  came.  It 
was  an  inoffensive  big  "yaller"  dog,  whose  hunger  had  at 
tracted  him  to  the  camp. 

The  pernicious  and  disgusting  habit  of  snuff-dipping 
first  attracted  our  attention  here.  It  is  universal  among 
the  women  of  every  class  in  the  South ,  as  chewing  gum  is 
among  the  girls  in  the  North.  A  small  vessel,  like  a  mus 
tard  or  baking-powder  box,  is  used  to  hold  the  vile  stuff, 
and  is  frequently  of  silver,  with  gold  lining.  A  small  swab 
about  the  size  of  a  lead  pencil,  and  made  of  soft  pine,  is 
formed  by  chewing  an  inch  of  the  end  of  the  stick  until  it 
resembles  the  brush  on  the  end  of  a  mule's  tail.  This  is 
moistened  so  as  to  make  the  snuff  adhere,  then  thrust  into 
the  mouth,  and  rubbed  along  the  teeth.  It  was  quite  com 
mon  to  see  ladies  of  the  best  society,  calling  for  an  hour, 
produce  from  their  reticule  a  fancy  box  and  stick ,  and  take 
a  dip  of  snuff. 

Our  boys  will  never  forget  the  religious  services  held 
by  the  negroes  in  their  camp  near  the  fortifications  upon 
which  they  wrere  employed .  They  felt  doubtless  very  much 
like  the  Children  of  Israel  did  at  the  crossing  of  the  Red 
Sea.  They  believed  that  their  day  of  deliverance  was  at 
hand,  though  they  couldn't  conceive  how  such  a  marvelous 
thing  was  to  be  accomplished.  Their  songs  were  strangely 
musical,  and  the  weird  sounds  of  voices  that  responded  to 
the  prayers  of  the  white-wooled  veterans,  who  had  been  for 
many  long  years  pleading  for  deliverance  from  bondage, 


72  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA     KKiJIMKNT. 

seemed    almost  to  come  from  another  world.     Here  is  one 
of  the  prayers,  exactly  as  it  was  uttered  : 

"0,  Lo'd,  Massa,  come  to  dis  e'th  ;  an'  when  yo' do 
come,  git  on  de  fas'es'  hoss  yo'  kin  fin'  ;  an'  O,  Lo'd,  don' 
run  uer  gallop,  but  jest  trot  all  roun'  dis  e'th,  till  dese  aw 
sinnehs  is  converted  an'  Massa  Linkum's  sojers  whip  all 
de  secesh  !" 

"SYNTAX"  AND  "PROSODY." 

So  pressing  were  the  needs  of  our  hospital  department, 
that  the  entire  country  through  which  we  passed    was   laid 
under  contribution  for  "contrabands"  to  perform  the  mul 
tifarious   domestic  and   mechanical   duties  connected   with 
that   branch  of  the  service.     Among  a  number  taken  from 
the  farm  of  Senator  Gates,  in  Northern  Alabama,  were  two 
likely  young  men,  who  were  immediately  christened  "Syn 
tax"  and   "Prosody."     The   latter  was   possessed  of  more 
than   ordinary  intelligence,   and   was   a   kind  of  preacher 
among  his  fellow  slaves.     He  was  often  called  upon  to  talk 
at  headquarters.     One  of  his  favorite  subjects  was  "How 
de  enemy  didn'  cotch  de  Lo'd."     He  said,  "Da  was  a  mity 
conflic    'tween   de  enemy  an'   de   Lo'd.     De   enemy  was  a 
pressin'  ha'cl   on  de   Lo'd—  pressin'  ha'd  on  'im.     Den  de 
Lo'd  fool  'im.     De  Lo'd  come  to  a  blacksmif  shop  ;    an'  he 
'light   his   mule,   an'   he   say  to  de   blacksmif,   'Slip  dem 
shoes;  put  'em   'hind   side  'fore.'     So  he  slip  'em,  an'   put 
'em  on  'bin'  side  'fore  ;  an'  w'en  de  enemy  struck  de  trail, 
he  thought   cle   Lo'd  was  goin'  de  oder  way.     So  de  enemy 
was  allus  goin'  de  rong  drection,  an'  didn'  cotch  de  Lo'd." 
Tuesday  morning,  12th,  a  detachment  of  our  regiment 
went  to  Woodville,  a  little  station  between   Stevenson  and 
Huntsville,  where  we  were,  joined  by  a  small  detachment  of 
cavalry,  and  another  of  artillery.     As  no  enemy  appeared, 
we  soon  interested  ourselves  in  supplying  our  private  com 
missary  department.     There  was  no-lack  of  peaches,  corn, 
apples,  chickens,  hams,  honey,  eggs,  etc.,  and   it  required 
only  courage  to  go  out  after  them.     So,  for  a  brief  season 


QUEER    CHARACTERS.  73 

we  lived  fat.  It  was  near  here  that  Col.  Bob  McCook  was 
murdered  by  cowardly  rebel  bushwhackers,  and  the  awful 
results  were  seen  on  every  hand,  evidences  of  the  hatred 
of  his  devoted  boys,  in  the  burned  and  demolished  houses 
belonging  to  the  fine  plantations. 

"WEASEL."     "JONTY  PETE."     THE  TABLES  TURNED. 

"Weasel"  was  an  attenuated,  withered  specimen  of 
humanity,  with  the  patriotism  and  courage  of  a  giant,  but 
lacking  mental  and  physical  ability  to  carry  them  out.  He 
was  frequently  made  the  butt  of  his  unthinking  comrades, 
who  would  play  the  most  irritating,  though  never  cruel, 
pranks  on  him.  While  waiting  for  his  coffee  to  boil,  some 
one  would  divert  his  attention  from  it,  while  another  com 
rade,  with  a  hooked  stick  would  quietly  walk  off  with  his 
coffee-bucket.  When  "Weasel"  turned  again,  and  found 
his  coffee  gone ,  his  wrath  was  unbounded  ;  and  he  would 
hurl  all  s'orts  of  anathemas  at  his  persecutor,  whom  he 
threatened  to  kill,  "if  possible  !"  During  the  Stone  River 
fight,  he  spied  a  knapsack  that  had  been  discarded  by  a 
comrade,  and  stopping  short,  he  deliberately  ransacked  it, 
finding  there  some  tobacco,  with  which  he  filled  his  pipe, 
and  lit  it. 

"Jonty  Pete"  was  a  character.  Bold,  careless  and  in 
dependent,  he  would  have  made  an  excellent  scout.  He 
was  in  the  war  for  the  fun  of  it,  and  was  indifferent  as  to 
the  methods  of  securing  his  share.  He  had  been  banged 
about  all  his  life,  and  always  bore  the  air  of  one  expecting 
a  sharp  clap  of  thunder,  or  that  some  one  would  suddenly 
punch  him  in  the  ribs  ;  ready  to  jump,  bullfrog  fashion, 
without  taking  time  to  come  to  a  perpendicular.  Quiet 
and  smooth-tongued,  he  was 

"  The  mildest  mannered  man 
That  ever  scuttled  ship  or  cut  a  throat." 

He  was  one  of  those  fellows  who  could  eat  and  talk  at  the 
same  time.  He  always  got  his  share  of  rations,  whenever 


74  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

he  could  get  up  a  hot  discussion  in  the  mess  at  meal  time. 
He  went  from  Brownsburg,  and  deserted  at  Murfreesboro, 
while  we  were  building  fortifications,  just  after  the  battle 
of  Stone  River.  His  name  does  not  appear  on  any  of  the 
company  rolls  ;  but  in  Co.  A,  30th  Indiana,  the  record  of 
" Jonathan  Peters,  deserted  Jan.  8,  '65,"  appears,  without 
residence  or  date  of  enlistment.  It  may  have  been  only  a 
coincidence,  though,  arid  not  our  Jonathan  Peterson.  He 
was  a  prime  forager,  and  so  persistent  was  he  in  this,  that 
he  came  very  near  being  captured  several  times.  He  went 
fishing  one  day,  and  forgot  to  come  back. 

The  next  day  after  our  arrival  at  Woodville,  he  and 
"Weasel"  and  others  were  out,  and  met  with  excellent  suc 
cess  in  foraging.  A  large  quantity  of  milk,  honey,  butter 
and  chickens  was  discovered,  and  they  were  taking  peace 
able  possession,  when  an  old  clay-colored  hag  appeared  on 
the  scene,  and  proceeded  to  dispossess  the  invaders.  But 
they  wouldn't  be  dispossessed  ;  and  sent  her  back  to  her 
lines  with  colors  slightly  trailing.  She  threatened  them 
with  her  "old  man,"  who  she  said  was  on  "tother  side  o' 
the  river,  tendin'  the  crap,"  and  who  would  "make  you'ns 
all  know  we-uns-all  won't  be  rin  over  by  no  nasty  stinkin' 
Yanks."  Other  boys  had  brought  in  several  bushels  of 
fine-looking  peaches,  but  they  were  too  hard  for  use,  and 
lay  in  piles  about  camp. 

Tli at  evening,  a  snaky-looking  pld  fellow  came  into 
camp,  cursing  the  boys  all  roundly,  and  inquiring  for  the 
"Giner'l."  He  was  directed  to  Lieut. -Col.  Colescott,  who 
was  in  command,  and  to  him  he  began  a  tirade  of  abuse  of 
the  Government  and  the  soldiers  ;  swearing  vengeance  on 
the  fellows  who  stole  his  chickens  and  other  stuff,  and  had 
insulted  his  "old  woman."  The  officer  gave  the  old  bush 
whacker  one  look  ;  then  he  said,  "Well,  sir,  what  do  you 
expect?  You  devils  have  stolen  everything  you've  got, 
and  have  committed  murders  enougli  to  shame  old  Satan 
himself.  Now  you  git !  (presenting  his  revolver,)  and  be 


HOW    TO    MANAdK    dT  K  Kill  L  LAS.  75 

quiet  till  you  get  out,  or  I  won't  answer  for  consequences." 
Seeing  a  crowd  of  soldiers  approaching,  he  called  Sergeant 
Wm.  Kelly,  on  duty,  and  said,  "Take  this  man  outside  of 
camp,  before  the  boys  hang  him  !"  This  changed  the  old 
fellow's  manner  ;  and  he  made  a  tumultuous  rush  for  lib 
erty.  As  he  went,  some  of  the  unregenerate ,  who  heard 
the  conversation,  rallied  on  the  piles  of  hard  peaches,  and 
pelted  him  with  them  until  he  was  out  of  sight.  The  last 
seen  of  him,  his  long  legs  were  swinging  lively,  and  his 
coat-tails  snapping  merrily  in  the  soft  evening  air. 

A    GUERRILLA    CONVERTED. 

One  night  Billy  Tout  and  John  P.  Smith  went  to  the 
home  of  the  guerrilla,  Wilhite,  to  capture  his  fine  blooded 
mare.  The  guerrilla  was  absent,  but  his  wife  was  there, 
and  with  a  shotgun  in  her  hand ,  declared  she  would  shoot 
the  first  man  who  attempted  to  bridle  the  mare.  A  pistol 
pointed  at  her,  however,  proved  a  great  persuader;  and 
the  mare  was  led  to  Col.  Streight's  quarters,  without  blood 
being  shed.  Next  morning  the  guerrilla  came  into  camp, 
and  the  colonel  read  him  a  severe  lecture  on  his  disloyalty  ; 
and  told  him  he  should  be  hung.  At  this  the  fellow  turned 
pale  and  began  to  beg.  The  colonel  asked  him  why  he 
was  doing  thus.  He  replied  that  he  had  been  reading  a 
book  called  "Helper,"  and  was  "opposed  to  freeing  the 
niggers." 

"If  I  give  you  your  mare,  now,  will  you  go  home  and 
behave?" 

The  color  returned  to  the  cheeks  of  the  wretch,  as  he 
replied,  "I'm  cussed  ef  I  don't  do  it !" 

He  left  our  camp  on  his  mare  ;  and  was  for  the  Union 
ever  after. 

Another  night,  a  negro  came  into  camp,  and  informed 
these  same  comrades  that  he  knew  where  six  or  seven  des 
perate  guerrillas  were  going  to  stay  that  night.  Our  boys 
concluded  to  capture  their  horses,  which  the  darkey  said 


76  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

were  fine  ones.  It  was  a  daring  undertaking,  but  they 
were  not  afraid  ;  so  they  gave  the  darkey  a  dollar  and  a 
pocket-knife  to  take  them  to  the  house  where  the  guerrillas 
were.  They  reached  the  place  about  9  o'clock  that  night, 
and  found  the  men  having  a  good  time  in  the  house.  Our 
boys  went  to  the  stable,  bridled  two  of  the  best  horses,  and 
mounted  them.  The  darkey,  in  the  meantime,  had  let  the 
bars  down  ;  and  when  they  came  out,  he  got  up  before  one 
of  them.  With  revolvers  in  their  hands,  they  whispered 
to  the  darkey,  "Now  lead  out  for  camp,  or  we'll  cut  your 
throat." 

"Don'  kill  me,  mastah  ;  I's  gwine  take  you-uns  right 
to  you-uns  camp  !"  replied  the  terrified  darkey. 

They  arrived  safely  about  midnight,  without  disturb 
ing  the  pickets.  John  P.  presented  the  mare  he  rode  to 
Dr.  Collins.  A  stranger  came  into  camp  a  few  days  after, 
and  being  attracted  by  the  animal,  inquired  where  she  was 
from.  Smith  told  him  that  he  got  her  from  a  man  named 
Fugate,  of  Warren  county,  Missouri.  The  name  "Fugate" 
stuck  to  John  P.  all  through  the  service. 

THE  CHASE  AFTER  BRAGG. 

About  the  1st  of  September,  1862,  the  style  of  our  or 
ganization  omitted  "Department  of  the  Mississippi;"  but 
it  didn't  make  our  load  any  lighter,  nor  marching  easier. 

From  Stevenson  we  went  to  Battle  Creek.  It  was  at 
this  place  that  our  boys  first  talked  with  the  rebel  pickets, 
across  the  river  ;  and  there  was  the  first  place  we  heard  the 
term  "johnny"  applied  to  them. 

One  peculiarity  of  the  war  was  the  result  of  a  common 
necessity  on  both  sides.  Frequently  the  only  source  of  fuel 
or  water  lay  directly  between  the  two  armies,  and  neither 
of  them  could  have  been  supplied,  but  for  the  expedient 
adopted  by  the  pickets,  and  ignored  by  those  in  command. 
As  soon  as  such  a  contingency  was  discovered,  the  pickets 
would  call  across  to  each  other,  and  agree  to  not  shoot  nor 


THE    CHASE    AFTER    BRAGG.  77 

interfere  in  any  manner  with  those  getting  water  from  the 
spring,  or  rails  from  the  fence.  Also  newspapers,  tobacco 
and  other  articles  were  exchanged.  When  a  new  relief 
came  on,  the  truce  was  continued,  unless  a  special  order 
was  issued  on  either  side.  Then  that  side  would  call  out, 
as  they  relieved  the  old  pickets  : 

"Johnny,  we've  got  orders  to  shoot." 

"All  right,  yanks  ;  hunt  yer  holes." 

"Well,  you  rebs  want  to  skedaddle  in  a  hurry." 

"Goto — ,  yanks  !     Let  'ergo!" 

Whiz  went  a  ball  in  response  to  this  defi ;  and  a  lively 
fusilade  ensued.  Rarely  any  one  was  ever  hit,  though,  at 
such  .a  time  ;  and  the  next  relief  would  likely  renew  the 
truce . 

Then  we  advanced  to  a  point  above  Jasper,  and  thence 
over  the  Cumberland  Mountain,  where  we  lost  nearly  all  of 
our  baggage  ;  thence  through  Manchester,  Murfreesboro, 
Nashville,  Gallatin,  Mitchellville,  Franklin,  Ky.,  and  to 
Bowling  Green  ;  marching  over  36  miles  the  last  day,  and 
arriving  at  the  last  named  place  at  6  o'clock  on  the  morn 
ing  of  September  11. 

We  subsisted  at  this  time  on  quarter  rations,  because 
our  cracker-line  was  broken  by  the  rebel  cavalry,  and  at 
Pelham  everything  that  could  not  be  carried  011  our  backs, 
was  destroyed.  The  marches  were  hard,  and  were  only 
enlivened  by  an  occasional  skirmish.  Water  was  hard  to 
get-  from  here  on,  and  much  of  it  was  very  poor  at  that. 
We  struck  a  peanut  patch  one  night,  our  camp  being  right 
over  it ;  and  it  was  fun  to  see  the  boys  jabbing  with  their 
bayonets  all  over  that  field,  and  roasting  the  nuts  in  the 
-fire.  Nearly  every  one  thought  peanuts  grew  on  bushes, 
like  blackberries  or  currants,  and  were  astonished  as  their 
bayonets  turned  them  out  of  the  ground,  like  so  many  di 
minutive  potatoes. 

Our  boys  would  fight  as  readily  for  rations  as  for  any 
thing  else.  They  could  stand  half-rations,  although  that 


78  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

seemed  hard  in  a  land  of  plenty  ;  but  when  our  supply  was 
clean  cut  off,  and  we  began  to  feel  the  gnawing  of  empty 
stomachs,  no  amount  of  travel,  nor  exposure,  nor  fighting 
was  too  much.  And  no  tongue  can  describe  the  delight 
we  experienced  when  the  word  came  that  communication 
was  reopened. 

General  Sherman's  Memoirs,  vol.  2,  p.  11,  says,  "To 
feed  an  army  of  100,000  men  and  30,000  animals,  and 
keep  it  in  ammunition  and  other  needful  things,  required 
130  car  loads,  of  10  tons  each,  per  day.  These  had  to  be 
transported  a  long  distance  frequently.  Every  mile  of  this 
was  guarded.  Often  the  line  was  cut,  and  then  the  sol 
diers  had  to  go  on  half  rations." 

During  the  afternoon  of  the  day  before  we  reached 
Bowling  Green,  we  halted  for  the  purpose  of  butchering 
and  baking.  Flour  was  issued  to  each  company,  pro  rata. 
The  manner  of  proceeding  in  the  writer's  company  was  as 
follows  :  There  was  barely  enough  baking  powder,  or  soda, 
to  go  around,  without  any  wastage.  Two  experts  made  up 
all  the  dough  on  the  tailgate  of  the  company  wagon,  and 
gave  each  comrade  a  chunk,  which  he  patted  out  on  a  flat 
rail  or  board,  like  a  "short-cake,"  and  stuck  it  up  to  the 
fire  to  bake.  Our  beef  was  salted  in  a  lump,  and  roasted 
on  the  end  of  a  stick,  over  a  rail  fire.  Then  we  marched 
all  night  long,  and  were  so  completely  fagged  out  at  times, 
that  we  jostled  each  other  and  staggered  like  drunken  men. 
Henry  Welsh ans  and  the  writer  slung  their  guns  on  their 
outside  shoulders,  locked  arms,  and  marched  together  thus, 
taking  turns  sleeping,  as  best  they  could  ;  each  sleeping  as 
much  as  half  a  mile  at  a  time  ;  while  the  other  supported 
and  guided  him.  There  were  some  who  "played-off"  sick, 
in  order  to  get  a  "pass"  to  the  ambulance.  The  most  were 
of  the  kind  that  always  kept  up  with  the  colors  ;  and  we 
got  in  on  time.  At  one  point  we  had  to  double-quick,  to 
get  onto  the  pike  first,  so  as  to  be  in  the  advance,  which 
always  made  the  marching  easier.  But  all  the  digging  and 


MRS.  STREIGHT    CAPTURED.  79 

plowing  and  harvesting  and  other  labor  we  had  ever  done 
in  a  month  at  home,  reduced  to  a  single  day,  would  not  be 
more  exhaustive  than  that  night  march  ;  yet,  as  we  filed 
off  into  a  cornfield  and  unslung  our  knapsacks,  and  spied 
the  river  only  a  hundred  yards  away,  with  one  common 
impulse,  we  made  a  rush  for  it ;  shedding  our  garments  as 
we  went.  0,  how  soothing  was  that  water!  How  it  re 
stored  our  overheated  blood  to  its  normal  temperature ,  and 
healed  our  sore  shoulders  and  shanks,  and  cooled  the  great 
big  red  blisters  on  our  feet,  worn  by  our  new  "gunboats," 
which  was  another  name  for  the  broad  comfortable  shoes 
the  Government  furnished. 

There  had  been  a  hard  rain  there  the  day  before,  and 
there  was  a  depth  of  three  or  four  inches  of  mud  in  the 
furrows  ;  so  that  we  had  to  pile  up  cornstalks  or  brush  or 
rails  to  keep  us  out  of  the  mud  ;  with  not  a  sign  of  straw  to 
soften  the  irregularities. 

There  were  two,  however,  who  failed  to  appeciate  the 
blessedness  of  this  beautiful  river  ;  who,  in  truth,  had  not 
intentionally  put  water  or  soap  on  their  faces  nor  any  part 
of  their  persons  since  they  left  Indiana.  They  were  Jim 
Kiley,  a  red-headed,  freckled  and  brown-skinned  boy,  and 
Rinie  Houzlot,  a  young  French  tough,  without  any  known 
antecedents.  W.  C.  Clements,  of  Co.  C,  and  another  com 
rade  were  detailed  to  take  these  two  filthy  fellows  to  Green 
River,  and  with  sand  and  soap  to  scrub  them.  They  were 
probably  never  so  clean  in  their  lives  before.  Houzlot  de 
serted  September  15,  '63  ;  as  Kiley 's  name  does  not  appear 
on  the  roster,  it  is  impossible  to  tell  whence  he  came,  nor 
whither  he  went.  So  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  Satan. 

MRS.  STREIGHT'S  CAPTURE  AND  ESCAPE. 

During  the  pursuit  of  Bragg,  Mrs.  Straight  went  to 
Nashville,  accompanied  by  their  son  John,  then  a  small 
child,  and  stopped  at  the  Sewanee  House.  She  desired  to 
go  from  there  by  railroad  to  Bowling  Green  ;  but  as  com- 


80  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

munication  by  that  route  was  cut  off,  it  was  decided  to  go 
by  stage-coach.  Accordingly,  Sunday  evening,  September 
7 ,  about  7  o'clock ,  the  lumbering  old-fashioned  stage-coach 
drew  up  at  the  hotel  door,  and  with  Mrs.  Streight,  Mrs. 
Grigsby,  wife  of  the  colonel  of  the  24th  Kentucky,  Colonel 
Shoemaker,  of  the  13th  Michigan,  with  seventeen  other 
men  and  a  lady  with  her  two  boys,  the  conveyance  was 
pretty  well  filled.  They  proceeded  as  far  as  Tyree  Springs, 
a  summer  retreat  on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  which  they 
reached  about  midnight.  When  near  the  summit,  they 
were  surrounded  by  250  of  Morgan's  guerrillas,  who  fired 
upon  them.  "Don't  fire,"  cried  the  driver;  "there  are 
ladies  in  there!"  They  were  taken  to  the  Springs  hotel, 
placed  under  guard,  the  ladies  occupying  the  sitting-room. 
When  they  found  they  were  captured,  and  had  to  get  out, 
the  men  quickly  gave  their  revolvers  to  Mrs.  Streight,  and 
she  secreted  them  about  her  person.  They  also  gave  her 
important  dispatches,  which  she  hid  among  some  clothing 
in  her  traveling-basket.  Just  then  a  burly  ruffian  put  his 
pistol  under  her  nose  in  the  stage.  She  slapped  it  back, 
saying,  "Keep  your  revolver  out  of  my  face,  sir!"  He 
begged  pardon,  and  disappeared. 

As  the  ladies  and  children  entered  the  sitting-room, 
Mrs.  Streight  closed  the  door,  and  stepped  across  to  a  little 
stand,  opening  the  drawer,  and  thrusting  the  dispatches 
into  it ;  then  closed  it . 

After  the  guerrillas  finished  searching  the  men,  they 
returned  to  the  hotel,  and  called  the  ladies  out,  to  claim 
their  trunks.  They  found  them  in  an  old  two- wheeled  cart. 
Colonel  Shoemaker  was  sitting  on  that  of  Mrs.  Streight, 
on  which  a  card  was  tacked,  bearing  the  inscription  "Mrs. 
Col.  A.  D.  Streight."  While  pretending  to  grope  in  the 
uncertain  light,  for  her  trunk,  she  put  her  hand  back  and 
tore  off  the  card.  Then  she  proved  her  ownership,  by  fit 
ting  her  key  in  the  lock.  The  baggage  was  taken  into  the 
hotel  and  searched,  but  nothing  contraband  was  found. 


MRS.  A.  D.  STREIGHT 


MRS.  STREIGHT  8    (CAPTURE.  81 

Soon  the  men  all  went  out,  but  some  returned  and  peeped 
in.  Among  them  was  a  doctor,  by  the  name  of  Joiner,  a 
black-eyed  villain,  who  announced  that  he,  being  a  doctor, 
was  sent  to  examine  the  ladies.  He  began  by,  " Ladies,  I 
command  you  to  undress.  I  was  sent  here  to  examine 
your  persons." 

"By  what  authority?"  demanded  Mrs.  Streight. 

"By  Major  Scott  and  Captain  Kirkpatrick  !"  Stamp 
ing  his  foot,  he  continued,  "I  want  you  to  take  off  your 
clothes!" 

"I  won't  do  it !"  declared  Mrs.  Streight,  emphatically. 

While  he  stood  stamping  his  foot,  and  making  demon 
strations,  one  of  the  strange  lady's  boys  ran  to  Maj.  Scott, 
and  asked  if  it  was  possible  that  he  was  going  to  let  that 
doctor  compel  those  ladies  to  undress.  The  major  replied, 
"By  no  means  !"  and  threatened  to  shoot  Joiner  if  he  mo 
lested  them.  When  the  lad  returned,  the  doctor  stood  in 
the  doorway,  and  as  the  officer's  words  were  repeated,  Mrs. 
Streight  stepped  suddenly  up  to  the  insulting  rebel,  and 
putting  her  hand  against  his  breast,  sent  him  over  on  his 
back  on  the  porch,  two  steps  below;  while  his  heels  flew 
into  the  air  like  the  wings  of  a  windmill.  She  slammed 
the  door  to,  then  ;  and  the  fellows  outside,  who  witnessed 
the  villain's  discomfiture,  yelled  with  delight,  and  shouted 
at  him,  "The  little  Yankee  was  too  much  for  you  !" 

The  men  Avere  then  all  called  away,  and  a  single  senti 
nel  put  on  duty;  and  the  ladies  wrere  told  to  retire.  Two 
or  three  times  during  the  night,  cakes  and  fruit  were  sent 
in  to  the  ladies  ;  but  as  they  bore  evidence  of  poison,  they 
were  received  with  thanks,  and  quietly  put  into  the  fire. 

About  5  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  guard  was  taken 
off.  Mrs.  Streight,  who  had  not  slept  during  the  night, 
took  advantage  of  this  to  reconnoiter.  Quietly  unlocking 
the  door,  she  went  out,  locking  the  door  after  her,  and 
strolled  down  the  verandah,  in  search  of  a  chance  to  get 
away.  The  windows  were  open,  and  in  one  room  were  a 


82  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

number  of  men  in  blue  uniforms,  who  she  supposed  were 
Union  soldiers.  She  told  them  what  she  wanted,  claimed 
them  as  friends,  and  offered  to  pay  them  well ;  but  they  all 
refused.  Turning  back,  she  saw  the  stage  across  the  way, 
with  the  driver  asleep  on  top  ;  and  her  mind  was  made  up. 
She  went  over,  awoke  him,  and  requested  him  to  hitch  up. 
He  refused,  saying  the  horses  had  all  been  taken.  At  the 
same  moment  she  heard  the  horses  stamping  in  the  barn. 
Having  been  reared  on  a  farm,  and  being  quite  familiar 
with  horses,  she  found  the  harness  where  it  had  been  hid 
den  in  a  corn-bin,  adjusted  it  to  the  horses,  and  led  them 
to  the  door.  She  again  aroused  the  driver,  and  jerking 
out  one  of  the  half-dozen  revolvers  with  which  she  was 
burdened,  made  him  get  down,  hitch  those  horses  to  the 
coach,  rein  up  and  straighten  them  out ;  assuring  him  that 
if  he  uttered  a  single  note  of  alarm,  she  would  blow  a  hole 
clear  through  his  head.  Then  she  hustled  the  women  and 
children  and  trunks  aboard,  and  in  twenty  minutes  they 
were  off,  on  a  dead  run.  Two  miles  out,  they  were  halted 
by  a  guerrilla,  who  gave  a  signal. 

"Now,  let  those  horses  go,"  cried  Mrs.  Straight,  "or 
I'll  get  up  there  and  drive." 

The  old  coach  flew  as  it  never  had  before.  All  along 
the  route  they  passed  guerrillas,  but  they  sped  by  so  sud 
denly,  that  they  were  gone  before  they  could  be  stopped. 
Several  miles  were  rapidly  covered  ;  when,  fearing  that  the 
horses  might  give  out  before  the  end  of  the  journey,  they 
were  slacked  up.  At  12  o'clock,  they  rolled  into  Franklin, 
Ky.,  and  dashed  up  to  the  principal  hotel ;  the  horses  in  a 
lather  of  foam  and  sweat.  Mrs.  Streight  recognized  in 
the  landlord  one  of  the  guerrillas  she.  met  the  night  before . 
He  slunk  away,  and  the  bar-tender  assisted  the  ladies  out. 
Dinner  was  ready  ;  and  as  they  were  nearly  starved,  they 
all  went  in.  Mrs.  Streight  bribed  a  colored  waiter  to  serve 
their  dinner,  and  to  see  that  it  was  not  poisoned  ;  and  they 
stayed  there  till  next  morning.  By  that  time  the  railroad 


THE    EVE    OF    BATTLE.  83 

was  again  open,  and  the  party  went  on  to  Bowling  Green  ; 
arriving  there  in  the  afternoon,  a  few  hours  after  the  Fifty- 
First  went  into  camp. 

Mrs.  Streight  frequently  visited  the  regiment,  and  was 
very  kind  to  the  sick  boys  ;  and  made  herself  very  useful 
in  many  ways.  She  was  loved  by  all  the  boys,  and  was 
revered  by  all  as  the  "mother  of  the  regiment." 

JUST    BEFORE    THE    BATTLE. 

Near  the  close  of  September,  we  were  at  a  point  fifteen 
miles  below  Cave  City,  Ky.  General  Wood  had  just  dis 
covered  that  we  were  out  of  provisions,  and  was  greatly 
troubled  thereat,  and  at  a  loss  for  a  remedy,  "Give  me 
orders,"  said  Colonel  Streight,  "and  I  will  get  them  here." 
"All  right,"  said  Wood  ;  "go  ahead."  The  colonel  got  his 
men  in  line  along  the  road,  before  daylight  next  morning  ; 
and  as  the  wagons  came  by,  the  boys  climbed  into  them, 
the  lash  was  applied  to  the  mules,  and  away  they  sped  for 
Cave  City  ;  where  the  wagons  were  quickly  filled,  and  the 
command  returned  before  night,  accomplishing  the  mission 
in  a  remarkably  short  time. 

It  was  about  the  same  time  that  Henry  Kirk  and  Dora 
Weaver  became  so  conscience-stricken,  that  they  "swore 
off"  on  chewing  tobacco.  It  was  on  the  eve  of  the  battle 
at  Perry ville,  and  they  felt  very  much  as  Mark  Twain  and 
his  companions  did,  when  hopelessly  lost  on  the  boundless 
plains,  in  a  snow-storm.  They  were  preparing  to  yield  up 
their  young  lives  on  the  field  of  carnage,  and  only  desired 
to  be  spared  long  enough  to  get  the  vile  scent  of  nicotine 
off  of  their  breath.  They  threw  away  their  last  plug  and 
last  hunk  of  natural  twist ;  and  putting  their  arms  around 
each  other's  necks,  vowed  to  never  again  defile  their  lips 
with  the  nasty  stuff.  And  they  meant  it.  But  humanity 
is  pretty  much  the  same  everywhere  ;  and  this  resolution 
lasted  until  Thursday,  the  lovely  New  Year's  Day,  1863; 
then,  while  death  was  dealing  havoc  on  all  hands,  and  no 


84  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

one  could  tell  what  might  happen  next,  these  two  heroes, 
excited  and  desperate,  each  bit  off  a  huge  chunk  of  caven 
dish,  and  applied  their  jaws  with  a  will  in  grinding  it  to 
pulp.  It  was  like  an  inspiration  to  their  almost  exhausted 
natures  ;  and  they  have  kept  it  up  faithfully  ever  since. 

Passing  through  a  cornfield  near  the  road,  the  boys 
were  helping  themselves  to  the  luscious  ears,  when  they 
were  suddenly  interrupted  by  the  appearance  of  a  freckled 
dame ,  with  a  voice  like  a  buzz-saw  : 

"Hyar!  you-all  wTants  to  git  right  out  o' thar,  now. 
We-uns  is  Union,  'n'  you-uns-all  wants  to  drap  that  thar 
cawn  right  suddent .  Drap  it ! " 

But  they  didn't  "drap  it"  till  they  got  into  camp. 

We  began  to  receive  all  sorts  of  rumors  here,  that  in 
creased  in  improbability  as  they  passed  from  one  mouth  to 
another.  When  the  authority  for  some  curdling  story  was 
demanded,  it  was  said  to  have  come  by  "grape- vine  tele 
graph  ;"  and  that  expression  came  to  be  applied  to  every 
tale  of  doubtful  origin. 

ARRIVAL    AT    LOUISVILLE,   KY. 

We  reached  Louisville,  Ky.,  Sunday,  September  28, 
with  Bragg  only  nine  miles  away  ;  we  having  been  36  days 
coming  from  Stevenson .  We  had  experienced  a  little  smell 
of  powder  at  Munfordsville,  and  had  witnessed  some  heavy 
artillery  fighting,  with  a  little  lively  cavalry  skirmishing. 
The  weather  was  cooler,  but  we  were  tired  out,  and  ragged, 
and  nearly  destitute  of  tents  and  proper  outfits  ;  and  were 
glad  our  chase  was  over.  We  went  into  camp  on  a  large 
common  in  the  lower  edge  of  the  city  ;  where  we  were  soon 
joined  by  a  number  of  recruits,  fresh  from  home  ;  being 
our  share  of  the  1862  volunteer  complement.  It  was  in 
the  main  a  respectable  lot  of  young  men  ;  who  were  imme 
diately  subjected  to  a  thorough  course  of  squad  drill.  In 
distinction  from  the  veteran  troops,  we  called  the  recruits 
"troopees." 


AT    LOUISVILLE,    KY.  85 

On  our  entering  Louisville,,  strict  orders  were  given  to 
protect  the  property  of  the  citizens.  The  new  guard  relief 
was  posted  accordingly.  One  comrade,  who  was  on  duty 
when  we  went  into  camp,  not  being  relieved  for  some  time 
after,  was  late  getting  to  his  quarters  ;  and  the  fires  were 
nearly  all  out,  as  fuel  was  scarce.  He  was  not  long,  how 
ever,  in  finding  a  plank,  which  he  pulled  from  the  roof  of 
a  shed  in  the  rear  of  a  neighboring  building  ;  and  dropping 
it  on  the  ground  assigned  for  his  company,  he  hurried  off 
to  get  an  ax.  Just  then  the  colonel  rode  through  the  quar 
ters,  and  espying  the  plank,  asked  who  brought  it  there. 
Of  course  no  one  knew  ;  and  he  was  turning  away,  when  a 
gleam  of  light  reflected  from  the  ax,  with  which  the  soldier 
was  returning,  attracted  his  attention. 

"Here,  soldier  ;  come  here.  Did  you  bring  this  plank 
here?  H— 11 !  it's !"  calling  the  soldier's  name. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Where  did  you  get  it?" 

"Over  there." 

"Well,  lay  down  that  ax,  and  carry  that  plank  back, 
and  put  it  where  you  got  it ;  then  get  your  gun  a'nd  guard 
that  place  the  rest  of  the  night." 

The  first  duty  of  a  soldier,  is  obedience.  He  therefore 
returned  the  plank  to  the  shed,  got  his  supper  on  another 
comrade's  fire,  then  took  his  traps,  and  moved  camp  to  the 
shed.  The  place  was  a  brewery,  and  the  shed  covered  two 
big  delivery  wagons  filled  with  pigeon-hole  boxes  used  for 
delivering  bottled  beer.  As  soon  as  he  got  a  little  used  to 
the  locality,  he  organized  himself  into  a  committee  of  in 
spection,  and  before  daylight  had  examined  every  bottle  in 
those  two  wagons.  They  were  all  empty,  save  about  nine. 
At  each  change  of  relief  one  of  those  bottles  had  to  give  the 
countersign;  what  was  left,  was  carried  into  camp,  and 
divided  among  the  boys.  Thus  was  paid  the  penalty  of 
over-righteous  protection,  and  another  illustration  given  of 
the  perfection  of  our  discipline. 


86  F  [  FT  V- FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Punishment  was  sometimes  inflicted  by  officers,  who 
had  no  sort  of  qualification  for  the  important  duties  of  the 
position  that  had  been  conferred  on  them,  that  was  brutal 
and  barbarous.  There  was  very  little  of  it  practiced  in  the 
Fifty-First,  however;  for,  however  scrupulous  every  soldier 
was  in  observing  proper  discipline,  he  drew  the  line  within 
reason.  And  the  few  attempts  that  were  made,  under  very 
strong  excitement,  were  rewarded  in  a  manner  so  decisive, 
that  it  impressed  that  event  perpetually  upon  the  mind  of 
the  officer.  One  good  polishing  was  sufficient. 

ANOTHER    CASE    OF    DISCIPLINE. 

The  second  day  at  Louisville,  Reuben  Eaton  and  the 
writer,  both  of  whom  had  brothers  in  the  79th  Indiana, 
which  had  just  arrived  among  the  reinforcements,  got  per 
mission  to  go  over  and  visit  them  ;  and  returning  in  the 
afternoon  just  in  time  to  miss  dress  parade,  wrere  reported 
"absent  without  leave,"  and  placed  on  the  list  for  " extra 
duty."  They  didn't  care!  First,  the  writer  was  ordered 
to  guard  a  comrade  who  was  punished  for  a  certain  misde 
meanor,  by  being  made  to  stand  on  a  hard-tack  box  on  one 
foot,  and  when  he  failed  to  keep  his  foot  up,  the  guard  was 
to  prod  him  with  his  bayonet.  Tfye  vigilant  officer  who 
had  imposed  the  punishment,  discovered  some  deficiency 
in  the  execution  thereof,  and  these  pages  are  necessarily 
graced  with  the  addition  that  the  writer  was  very  suddenly 
relieved  from  guard  duty,  and  required  to  join  the  display 
of  living  statuary,  on  another  box  ;  while  TCa.ton  was  given 
the  delightful  task  of  prodding  both  victims.  The  ridicule 
of  the  other  companies,  who  witnessed  the  spectacle,  was 
too  much  for  the  officer;  and  the  boys  were  soon  released. 

Governor  Morton  visited  us  w^hile  at  this  place,  and 
assisted  and  encouraged  us  very  much  by  kind  words  and 
assurances  of  the  confidence  of  our  friends  at  home,  that 
we  would  ultimately  conquer.  He  also  provided  for  the 
physical  comfort  of  his  soldiers,  of  whom  he  was  quite 


HATTLK    OF    1'KKIIY VILLK. 


S7 


proud.  Nor  was  the  admiration  of  all  the  Indiana  boys 
any  less  for  our  noble  Governor.  Indeed,  this  was  largely 
shared  by  the  troops  of  every  other  State,  who  regarded  us 
with  envy  on  this  account. 

Letters  and  papers  from  home  told  of  the  big  scare  in 
the  border  towns  of  Ohio  and   Indiana,  and  the  exploits  of 
the   valorous  "squirrel   hunters"  at   Lawrenceburg,    North 
Bend  and  elsewhere.     Like  the  historic  Charles,  they 
"Marched  up  the  hill,  and  then— marched  down  again." 
They  reminded  us  of  the  old  comedian,  Yankee  Robinson, 
who  used  to  sing  about  how  he  and  his  uncle  "fit,  bled  and 
died"  in  the  Mexican  war  : 

"  I  got  behind  a  great  big  log, 

Along  with  another  man  ; 
And  every  time  I  raised  old  Betsy  up, 
Down  popped  a  Mex-i-can  !  " 

BATTLE    OF    PERRYVILLE. 

Saturday,   October   4,   Wood's   division  marched  into 
Bardstown,  late  in  the  afternoon,  driving  out  the  rebel  rear 

guard . 

Wednesday  morning,  the  8th,  found  us  at  Springfield, 
having  passed  through  Mt.  Washington  and  F  airfield.  We 
camped  in  the  Springfield  fair-ground,  till  near  noon  of  the 
8th.  The  rebels  were  not  far  off,  and  a  fight  was  expected 
hourly.  We  were  so  tired  of  marching,  that  we  would 
have  welcomed  anything  else.  It  was  also  fast  becoming  a 
positive  necessity  for  Buell  to  get  us  into  a  fight,  in  order 
to  remove  the  prevailing  suspicion  of  his  treachery,  or  to 
prevent  outbroken  insubordination.  It  came  just  in  time. 
We  were  not  favored  with  our  share  of  the  battle  at  Perry- 
ville,  that  afternoon,  but  arrived  on  the  scene  just  in  time 
to  see  Bragg  get  decently  whipped.  Our  division  laid  the 
night  before  near  Rolling  Fork,  12  miles  from  Perryville. 
We  had  orders  early  in  the  morning,  but  did  not  move  till 
11  o'clock  ;  and  got  to  Perryville  at  4  o'clock  ;  taking  our 
position  on  the  right  of  Gilbert's  force,  and  on  the  left  of 


FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA     REGIMENT. 

Crittenden,  about  opposite  the  town.  From  appearances, 
we  were  at  the  extreme  left  of  the  enemy.  They  were  try 
ing  to  flank  Gilbert.  He  had  engaged  them,  and  Wood 
deployed  toward  the  left.  Our  division  was  in  fine  trim 
for  a  battle,  but  the  blundering  of  some  one  enabled  Bragg 
to  get  away.  He  was  badly  whipped,  as  it  was,  but  ought 
to  have  been  captured  entirely.  Buell  was  certainly  either 
ignorant  of  the  condition  of  the  enemy,  or  his  alleged  su 
perior  military  talent  was  directed  in  the  wrong  way.  It 
was  a  pity  such  a  man  as  "Old  Pap"  Thomas,  or  our  own 
"Old  Tommy"  Wood  had  not  charge  of  that  campaign! 
Buell  had  been  in  the  army  all  his  life,  and  was  a  very  fine 
organizer  and  first-class  trainer  ;  he  simply  lacked  patriot 
ism  and  integrity.  In  proof  of  the  bad  feeling  described 
above,  we  have  the  statement  of  General  Buell,  made  in 
cross-examination,  during  the  investigation  of  his  conduct, 
in  December  following,  at  Nashville  : 

"  They  were  anxious  to  move  on  and  relieve  the  Munfordsville  force, 
and  there  was  general  impatience  to  attack  the  enemy.  It  amounted  to 
almost  indignation,  among  both  officers  and  men,  *  from  the  time 
we  moved  with  Gen.  McCook  toward  Chattanooga,  or  about  Jasper. 
We  then  fell  back  over  the  mountains.  We  knew  Munfordsville  was 
threatened,  and  while  at  Bowling  Green,  we  heard  that  Col.  Wilder  bad 
repulsed  the  enemy.  Then  this  feeling  continued  to  increase." 

The  great  loss  on  our  side,  916  killed,  2,943  wounded, 
and  489  missing,  was  sufficient  indication  of  the  valor  of 
those  engaged. 

BRAGG    SKEDADDLES. 

At  daylight  next  morning,  we  advanced  to  where  we 
could  overlook  the  town,  and  where  we  could  observe  the 
position  of  the  enemy.  We  could  see  them  putting  a  bat 
tery  in  position  a  little  to  the  right  and  rear  of  Perry ville. 
The  sun  was  about  half  an  hour  high  when  we  saw  them 
moving  off,  perhaps  a  mile  distant,  going  in  the  direction 
of  Harrodsburg  ;  with  baggage  train,  infantry  and  cavalry. 
We  laid  there'till  about  2  p.  M.,  when  we  passed  through 
Perryville,  and  went  to  the  spring  below,  where  we  stayed 


AT    GLASGOW,    KY.  89 

till  next  morning,  the  10th.     Gen.  Wood's  camp  extended 
from  near  Reed's  Springs  to  Salt  River. 

That  day,  our  brigade  made  a  reconnoisance  through 
Harrodsburg,  capturing  a  large  number  of  cavalry,  besides 
a  great  many  convalescents  in  camp  and  hospital.  Being 
at  least  six  miles  in  advance  of  our  army,  we  moved  camp 
twice  that  night,  and  built  three  sets  of  fires,  in  order  to 
deceive  the  enemy  as  to  our  numbers.  The  following  day, 
Saturday,  we  proceeded  in  line  of  battle  to  Danville,  the 
Fifty-First  passing  directly  across  the  cemetery.  Then, 
filing  out  onto  the  Lancaster  pike,  we  marched  "right  in 
front"  through  the  town,  in  splendid  order.  This  did  not 
prevent  Co.  K  filling  their  canteens  from  some  wine-casks 
which  came  in  their  way.  We  continued  on,  marching  at 
12  o'clock  the  night  of  the  12th,  and  engaging  the  enemy's 
cavalry  and  artillery  at  Stanford,  at  daylight  next  morn 
ing.  The  enemy  kept  the  road  toward  Cumberland  Gap, 
opposing  our  advance  with  his  cavalry  and  artillery.  We 
pursued  as  far  as  Crab  Orchard  ;  a  little  skirmish  near  the 
hamlet  of  Wild  Cat,  being  the  chief  fruit  of  this  diversion. 
Then  we  retraced  our  steps  ;  leaving  Danville  to  the  right, 
passing  through  the  village  of  Hustonville,  to  Columbia, 
where  we  halted  a  few  days,  and  enjoyed  a  much  needed 
rest. 

AT    GLASGOW,  KY. 

We  continued  thence  to  Glasgow  ;  arriving  there  on 
Saturday,  October  25,  going  into  camp  in  a  cedar  forest ; 
and  spending  the  afternoon  in  butchering.  In  the  night 
it  began  snowing,  and  we  awoke  next  morning  to  find  our 
blankets  covered  with  four  inches  of  snow,  under  which  we 
fairly  steamed,  with  the  additional  heat  thus  imparted.  It 
continued  to  snow  all  day  Sunday,  so  that  we  couldn't  get 
out  to  church. 

We  had  captured  a  lot  of  rebels  on  the  way  ;  and  they 
must  have  suffered  greatly,  as  they  were  destitute  of  nearly 
everything  ;  many  without  shirts  and  coats,  and  all  bearing 


90  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

signs  of  severe  exposure  and  disease.  They  were  heartily 
tired  of  war  ;  and  denounced  the  military  despotism  that 
was  being-  exercised  over  them.  We  did  all  our  limited 
supply  would  permit,  to  relieve  their  wants. 

It  was  very  cold,  the  morning  we  left  Glasgow,  and 
the  frost  in  our  guns  stung  our  fingers,  as  we  shifted  them 
from  one  shoulder  to  the  other.  Presently  we  came  to  a 
good  sized  creek,  which  General  Wood  ordered  us  to  cross. 
As  we  would  have  to  wade,  and  the  water  was  very  cold, 
Colonel  Streight  demurred ,  saying  it  would  kill  the  men. 
General  Wood  averred  it  was  unavoidable.  "I  think  not," 
said  Streight;  "we  can  build  a  bridge."  "That  is  impos 
sible,"  replied  Wood  ;  "we  have  no  hatchets,  nor  nails  nor 
anything."  "Give  me  orders,  and  I  will  do  it,'7  persisted 
the  colonel.  "All  right;  go  ahead,"  said  General  Wood. 
The  colonel  got  the  boys  out,  tore  down  a  house  near  by, 
and  in  a  few  hours  had  a  good  bridge  over  the  stream,  on 
which  the  command  crossed  in  safety. 

We  moved  thence,  by  easy  stages,  to  a  point  12  miles 
east  of  Gallatin,  Tenii.,  after  a  march,  that  day,  November 
7,  of  twenty  miles.  According  to  order,  Gen.  Wood  sent 
Barker's  brigade  to  try  to  capture  the  guerrilla  John  Mor 
gan's  command.  Harker's  3d  Brigade  of  infantry,  and 
Col.  Lewis  Zahm's  2d  Brigade  of  cavalry,  reached  Gallatin 
just  after  daylight,  but  Morgan  had  already  escaped.  We 
pressed  him  closely,  capturing  18  of  his  men,  with  their 
horses  and  accouterments.  Lt.-Col.  Colescott's  -horse  was 
shot  in  the  nose.  It  was  quite  a  lively  little  scrap  ;  the 
boys  running,  shooting,  dodging,  yelling,  till  we  closed  in 
on  the  handful  that  remained,  and  brought  them  back  into 
town  ;  our  regiment  resting  on  the  public  square,  opposite 
the  court-house.  Then  we  moved  out  to  the  edge  of  town, 
and  went  into  camp. 

Col.  Streight  had  the  correct  idea  as  to  the  protection  of 
rebel  property  ;  and  when  we  entered  a  fine  blue-grass  pas 
ture,  he  marched  us  by  companies  in  echelon  to  within  a 


A     YANKKK    TRICK. 


91. 


few  steps  of  the  fence,  when  he  turned  about  and  shouted  : 
"Halt !     Stack  arms  !     Unsling  knapsacks  !     Rally  on 
the  fence  ! ' ' 

With  a  yell,  the  boys  hastened  to  obey  the  orders  with 
a  will  that  was  remarkable.  In  a  few  minutes  the  fence 
lay  in  neat  piles  ;  and  our  fuel  for  that  day  was  assured. 
Some  then  went  for  straw,  some  for  water  and  forage,  and 
others  got  breakfast.  Most  all  of  us  were  entirely  without 
rations  ;  but  the  country  was  full  of  stuff,  and  we  had  all 
learned  to  forage .  We  did  not  require  a  miracle ,  as  Gen . 
Dumont  thought  the  72d  Indiana  would,  when  that  band 
of  innocents  run  out  of  provisions.  He  said,  "May  be  the 
Lord  will  shower  manna,  or  blow  in  quails.' 

A    YANKEE    TRICK. 

"Fugate"  slipped  out  and  went  down  to  a  large  brick 
house,  and  called  for  breakfast ;  offering  to  pay  for  it.  The 
mistress  promptly  replied  : 

"No,  sir  ;  we  don't  feed  Yankees  here  !" 
"All  right!"  and  back  he  went  to  where  the  regiment 
lay.     Seeing  Sergeant  Weaver,  who  looked  pretty  lean  and 
hungry,  he  said, 

"Dora,  do  you  want  a  good  breakfast?" 
"I  was  never  so  hungry  in  my  life." 
"Well,  get  your  gun,  fix  bayonet,  and  follow  me." 
Throwing  a  grey  blanket  around  him,  "Fugate"  went 
back  to  the  same  house.     With  a  familiar  "hello  !"  which 
is  the  Southern  sign  of  recognition,  the  woman  came  to  the 
door. 

"I  am  sorry,  madam  ;  I  was  captured  here,  this  morn 
ing,  by  these  Yankees  ;  and  I  would  like  to  have  something 
to  eat,  before  I  am  hurled  off  to  a  Northern  prison." 

"Come  in,  sir!"  exclaimed  the  woman,  with  emotion, 
extending  both  hands,  and  ushering  the  prisoner  into  the 
sitting-room  ;  while  the  guard  kept  close  after  him.  While 
waiting  for  breakfast,  the  woman  proposed  to  "Fugate"  to 


\ 

92  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

get  the  gun  and  kill  the  sergeant,  and  secrete  him  ;  and  all 
would  be  well.  But  the  prisoner  thought  it  would  not  be 
fair  to  do  that ;  since  the  sergeant  had  allowed  him  to  go 
among  his  friends .  Besides ,  it  would  be  too  dangerous  ;  as 
the  town  was  full  of  Yanks.  The  breakfast  of  ham  and 
eggs,  sweet  potatoes,  fine  bread  and  coffee,  was  delicious  ; 
and  it  was  fairly  divided  with  the  sergeant. 

"What  company  do  you  belong  to  !"  asked  Weaver. 

"Captain  Woolsey's  command." 

0,  I  know  them  well,"  rejoined  the  sergeant;  and  he 
told  who  he  was. 

Their  conversation  and  actions  gave  them  away  before 
they  got  through  ;  arid  it  took  some  pretty  stiff  fabricating 
to  convince  the  woman  that  she  was  not  deceived. 

Then  the  sergeant  marched  his  prisoner  back  to  camp  ; 
where  they  laughed  over  the  ruse,  by  which  they  had  ob 
tained  a  good  breakfast  from  a  malignant  she-rebel,  free  of 
expense . 

Each  day  the  ties  that  bound  comrades  to  each  other, 
were  more  firmly  welded.  The  privations  shared,  and  the 
scores  of  mutual  sacrifices  and  self-denials  made  for  each 
other,  created  a  relation  that  was  never  known  among  so 
great  a  number  of  men  before.  Possibly  Solomon  had  in 
his  great  mind  the  American  soldier,  when  he  said  [PROV. 
xviii :  24,]  "There  is  a  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a 
brother."  In  their  individual  affairs,  they  would  stand 
for  their  rights  against  every  other  individual,  and  would 
fight  the  next  man  in  the  line  for  a  single  mouldy,  wormy, 
old  hard-tack;  but  in  their  collective  relation,  they  were 
true  as  steel  to  each  other.  And  they  were  exceedingly 
clannish . 


ROSECRANS    TAKES    COMMAND.  93 


"FOURTEENTH  ARMY  CORPS" — "ARMY  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND." 
Buell  was  relieved  of  command  by  Maj.  Gen.  Win.  S. 
Rosecrans.  This  change  occurred  October  30,  in  compli 
ance  with  General  Orders  No.  168,  War  Department,  dated 
October  24,  1862.  This  order  gave  General  Rosecrans  the 
command  of  the  "Department  of  the  Cumberland,"  which 
embraced  that  portion  of  Tennessee  lying  east  of  the  Ten 
nessee  River,  with  a  prospective  enlargement  from  Georgia 
and  Alabama.  By  the  same  order  the  troops  of  the  same 
department  were  also  designated  as  the  "Fourteenth  Army 
Corps."  This  designation  soon  gave  place  to  that  of  the 
"Army  of  the  Cumberland" — the  name  which  the  original 
portions  bore  under  Generals  Anderson  and  Sherman. 

We  were  glad  to  be  delivered  of  Buell.  We  were  also 
much  encouraged  by  the  recent  emancipation  proclamation 
of  President  Lincoln,  and  by  the  news  of  the  traitor  Lee's 
request  for  an  armistice.  Also,  we  needed  overcoats  very 
badly,  and  Governor  Morton  had  them  forwarded  to  us  a 
month  in  advance  ;  whereby  much  suffering  was  relieved. 
We  continued  to  march,  till,  on  Wednesday,  Nov.  12, 
we  were  at  Silver  Springs,  18  miles  east  of  Nashville.  Our 
boys  were  mostly  in  fair  health.  We  had  been  to  Gallatin 
again,  and  had  another  little  brush  with  John  Morgan's 


94  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

guerrillas;  routing  them,  and  chasing  them  several  miles. 
Colonel  Streight  wrote,  on  that  date  : 

"I  was  sent  to  Gallatin  with  the  5L->t  and  13th  Michigan,  and  a  sec 
tion  of  Bradley's  Battery  ;  where  we  cut  their  forces  in  two,  killed, 
wounded  and  captured  30.  My  boys,  as  usual,  were  both  brave  and 
lucky;  and  no  one  of  them  was  hurt.  We  are  idle  now,  but  the  enemy 
is  in  force  at  Murfreesboro." 

Dr.  Adams'  resignation  was  accepted,  and  H.  R.  King 
was  promoted  to  be  Assistant  Surgeon.  There  were  560 
men  in  camp. 

On  the  24th,  we  were  eight  miles  east  of  Nashville. 
At  this  place  Capt.  J.  C.  McGuire,  Co.  F.  resigned. 

At  some  point,  about  this  time,  our  command  assisted 
in  building  a  trestle-bridge  across  the  Cumberland  River  at 
Gallatin. 

' '  OLD    ROSY    IS    THE    MAN  ! ' ' 

There  came  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  while  en 
camped  about  Nashville,  just  before  the  battle  of  Stone 
River,  an  old  man,  a  tall,  old-fashioned,  raw-boned  fellow, 
who  sang  patriotic  songs.  He  suddenly  .disappeared  ;  but 
returned  after  the  battle.  He  claimed  the  name  of  Wm. 
E.  Lock,  army  poet  and  balladist,  and  he  had  a  pass  from 
Abraham  Lincoln  to  travel  through  the  western  army,  and 
make  and  sing  patriotic  songs.  When  selling  his  songs 
and  stamps,  and  singing  on  a  cracker-box,  he  would  ask 
the  boys  to  join  him  in  the  chorus  ;  which  thousands  did 
eagerly.  A'gain  he  disappeared;  and  while  making  his 
way  to  the  rebel  army,  of  which  he  wTas  a  notorious  spy, 
he  was  shot  and  killed,  while  running  the  picket  line.  It 
was  learned  afterward,  that  he  was  called  by  Forrest's  men 
"the  crazy  preacher."  The  following  is  a  sample  of  his 
ballads,  and  one  that  was  quite  popular  at  one  time,  espe 
cially  in  the  Fifty-First : 

"Cheer  up,  cheer  up,  the  night  is  past ; 

The  skies  with  light  are  glowing; 
Our  ship  moves  proudly  on,  my  boys, 

And  favoring  gales  are  blowing; 


"OLD  ROSY  is  THE   MAN. 

rlhe  flag  is  at  the  peak,  my  boys ; 

Her  decks  are  cleared  for  action  ; 
The  time  has  come— we're  ready,  boys, 

To  meet  a  traitorous  faction. 

CHORUS:     Old  Rosy  is  the  man,  old  Rosy  is  the  man  ; 
We'll  show  our  deeds  where'er  he  leads  ; 

Old  Rosy  is  the  man. 

The  lightning  flashes  through  the  West, 

.The  glorious  news  repeating; 
Of  prairie  hosts  now  tramping  on, 

And  rebel  hordes  retreating; 
Our  conquering  hosts  with  steady  tread, 

Their  crafty  foes  defying; 
O'er  many  a  city,  town  and  fort, 

He  set  the  old  flag  flying; 
CHORUS:     Old  Rosy  is  the  man,  &c. 

The  Merrimac,  all  clad  in  steel, 

Would  make  the  Yankees  wonder; 
They'd  crush  our  forts,  and  sink  our  ships, 

And  belch  perpetual  thunder; 
But  just  as  all  the  rebel  crew 

Grew  jubilant — defiant ! 
There  came  a  Yanke  cheese-box  craft, 
Which  whipped  the  mail-clad  giant. 
CHORUS:     Kriccson  was  the  man,  Ericcson  was  the  man 
His  little  tug,  and  saucy  mug 

Ripped  up  the  traitors'  plan. 

Old  "Stonewall ''  came  to  Winchester; 

He  thought  he'd  find  us  napping; 
But  rebeldom  has  yet  to  learn 

The  art  of  Yankee  trapping. 
For  when  he  met  our  gallant  Shields, 

His  brain  soon  got  to  swim m in' ; 
He  cursed  the  day,  and  cursed  his  luck, 

And  d-d  the  secesh  women. 
CHORUS:    Brave  Shields  was  then  the  man  ||: 
His  Irish  wit,  and  Northern  grit 

Ripped  up  the  traitors'  plan. 

They  thought  at  Island  No.  10 

They'd  first  blockade  the  river, 

And  strike  with  such  terriftc  blows, 
That  all  the  North  would  shiver. 

But  Captain  Walk,  clown  through  their  fire 
His  gunboats  safely  paddled  ; 


95 


96  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Tli en  Pope  got  at  them  in  the  rear, 
And  all  who  could,  skedaddled. 
CHORUS:     Brave  Pope  was  then  the  man  ||: 

From  Walk  and  Pope  the  rebels  slope; 
Brave  Pope  was  then  the  man. 

New  Orleans  had  three  mighty  rams, 

And  tire-ships  also  handy, 
And  thirty  thousand  righting  men, 

To  sink  poor  Doodle  Dandy. 
But  when  they  came  with  gentle  words, 

For  fear  they'd  speak  them  louder; 
She  thought  she'd  just  capitulate, 

And  save  her  blood  and  powder. 
CHORUS:    Brave  Foote  was  then  the  man  ||: 
With  lawyer  But.  *  and  Farragut, 

Brave  Foote  was  then  the  man. 

At  Murfreesboro,  full  of  fight, 

Old  Bragg  drew  up  his  forces, 
To  make  a  meal  of  Western  boys, 

And  gobble  them  by  courses; 
But  when  he  met  old  Rosy  there, 

His  appetite  forsook  him  ; 
The  Dutchman  might  be  good  to  carve ; 

But  he  couldn't  catch  and  cook  him. 
CHORUS:     Old  Rosy  is  the  man,  old  Rosy  is  the  man ; 
We'll  show  our  deeds  where'er  he  leads; 

Old  Rosy  is  the  man. 

A  few  more  blows  will  close  our  work, 

And  homeward  we'll  be  rushing; 
And  anxious  hearts,  that  sorrow  now, 

With  love  and  joy  be  gushing. 
And  when  our  heads  are  silvered  o'er, 

In  telling  this  day's  story  ; 
Some  lip  of  fame  will  say  of  us, 

'  They  saved  the  Nation's  glory  ! ' 
CHORUS:     Old  Rosy  is  the  man,  &c." 

BATTLE    OF    STONE    RIVER. 

Christmas  was  a  beautiful  day  ;  and  we  put  it  in  with 
a  foraging  expedition.  During  the  day  we  had  some  sharp 
skirmishing;  and  Perry  Hollingsworth,  Co.  E,  was  killed, 

IMMHMMH 

Butler. 


BATTLE  OF  STONE  RIVER.  97 

and  two  others  were  wounded.  We  brought  in  18  head  of 
cattle.  Next  day  we  struck  tents,  and  advanced  to  near 
Lavergne  ;  skirmishing  all  day.  At  night  it  rained,  and 
continued  to  rain  most  of  the  following  week. 

The  first  experience  of  the  Fifty-First  in  this  glorious 
campaign,  dates  from  this  skirmish  at  Prim's  blacksmith 
shop,  on  the  Edmonson  pike,  on  Thursday,  December  25, 
1862.  General  Wood's  dispatch  of  that  date,  says  : 

"Marker's  brigade,  which  went  out  this  morning  for  forage,  is  com 
ing  in.  He  filled  his  wagons  with  corn,  but  had  to  fight  for  it.  He  was 
attacked  in  front  and  on  the  flanks,  and  lost  1  man  killed  outright,  and 
2  wounded ;  1  seriously,  the  other  slightly.  The  casualties  occurred  all 
in  the  51st  Indiana.  Col.  Harker  estimates  the  enemy  at  600,  infantry 
or  dismounted  troopers." 

Our  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  was  organ 
ized  as  follows  : 

-Left  Wing,  Gen.  T.  L.  Crittenden,  Commanding. 
1st  Div.,  Gen.  T.  J.  Wood, 
3d  Brig.,  Col.  C.  G.  Harker, 

51st  Indiana,  Col.  A.  D.  Streight. 
73d  Indiana,  Col.  Gilbert  Hathaway. 
13th  Michigan,  Col.  Michael  Shoemaker. 
64th  Ohio,  Col.  Alex.  Mcllvain. 
65th  Ohio,  Lt.-Col.  Alex.  Cassil. 

Maj.  Horatio  N.  Whitbeck. 

On  Dec.  27,  '62,  Lt.-Col.  Garesche',  Gen.  Rosecrans' 
chief  of  staff,  dispatched  to  Gen.  Crittenden,  at  3  :  05  P.M.: 

"Tell  Wood  to  drive  the  enemy  vigorously,  and  give  them  no  time 
to  breathe." 

How  thoroughly  this  instruction  was  obeyed,  some  of 
the  proudest  pages  of  history  tell. 

The  Army  of  the  Cumberland  left  Nashville  with  47,- 
000  men,  and  had  37,977  infantry,  3,200  cavalry  and  2,223 
artillery  in  the  battle.  It  lost  92  officers  killed,  and  384 
wounded;  1,441  men  killed,  and  6,860  wounded;  about 
2,800  missing.  Lt.-Col.  Garesche'  was  killed  by  the  side  of 
the  commander. 


98  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

The  monthly  return  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
for  the  month  of  December,  1862,  gives  the  number  in 
Wood's  division,  3  brigades  of  infantry,  10,605  ;  artillery, 
395;  total,  11,000. 

General  Rosecrans'  report  of  this  campaign,  refers  to 
our  brigade  very  favorably  : 

"From  Nov.  26  to  Dec.  26,  every  effort  was  bent  to  complete  the 
clothing  of  the  army,  provide  ammunition  and  replenish  the  Nashville 
depot  of  supplies,  to  insure  against  want.  On  Thursday,  Dec.  26,  '62, 
the  movement  began.  The  left  wing  began  its  advance  about  11  A.  M., 
the  28th,  driving  a  brigade  of  cavalry  supported  by  Many's  brigade  of 
rebel  infantry,  to  Stewart's  Creek,  saving  the  bridge,  although  the  rails 
were  fired.  This  was  Saturday  night.  On  Sunday  they  rested.  On  Mon 
day  at  3  p.  M.  a  signal  from  Palmer  announcing  that  he  was  in  sight  of 
Murfreesboro,  and  that  the  enemy  was  running,  an  order  was  sent  to 
Crittenden  to  send  a  division  to  occupy  Murfreesboro.  He  ordered  Mar 
ker's  brigade  to  cross  the  river  at  a  ford  on  his  left,  where  he  surprised  a 
regiment  of  Brecken ridge's  division,  and  drove  it  back  on  its  main  line, 
not  more  than  500  yards  distant,  in  great  confusion.  He  held  the  posi 
tion  till  advised,  by  prisoners  captured,  that  Breckenridge  was  in  force  in 
front;  when,  it  being  dark,  he  ordered  the  brigade  back  across  the  river, 
and  bivouacked. 

The  battle  began  next  day,  on  the  left,  by  VanCleve,  who  crossed  at 
the  lower  fords.  Wood  was  prepared  to  sustain  and  follow  him,  but  was 
directed  to  suspend  action.  Just  then  McCook  was  routed.  Barker's 
brigade  was  sent  further  down  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  to  go  in  and  attack 
the  enemy  on  the  right  of  VanCleve.  There  our  forces  sustained  an  in 
fantry  and  cavalry  attack,  leaving  us  masters  of  the  original  ground  on 
our  left.  Our  losses  were  :  * 

Losses.  Killed.  Wounded.     Captured.       Total. 

Off.  Enl.  Off.  Enl. 

51st  Indiana.  7  2    32  9  50 

73<1  Indiana.  2        22  3     48  36  111 

13th  Michigan.  17  2    70  89 

64th  Ohio.  1        23  3     61  17  105 

65th  Ohio.  2        33  8    92  38  173 

6lh  Ohio  Battery.  1  18  1  11 

Aggregate.  5    103  19  311  101  *   539 

From  the  Report  of  James  Barnett,  Chief  of  Artillery. 

11  Capt.  Bradley,  on  the  morning  of  the  31st,  moved  with  Col.  Har- 
ker's  brigade  in  its  advance  to  check  the  enemy  on  the  right,  and  held 
with  it,  its  position  through  the  day.  On  the  2d  he  held  a  position  on 
commanding  ground  near  to  the  right  of  the  railroad.  When  the  attack 
was  made  on  the  left,  he  changed  front  to  fire  to  the  left." 


BATTLE    OF    STONE    RIVER.  99 

From  the  Report  of  Gen.  A.  D.  McCook,  Comdg.  Right  Wing. 
"  December  30,  '62  *  On  arrival  at  the  pike,  I  found  Col.  Har- 
ker's  brigade  retiring  before  a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy.  I  immediately 
ordered  Robert's  brigade,  of  Sheridan's  division,  to  advance  into  a  cedar 
wood,  and  charge  the  enemy,  and  drive  him  back.  *  Col.  Harker, 
commanding  a  brigade  in  Wood's  division,  performed  gallant  service.'' 

From  the  Report  of  Gen.  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Comdg.  3d  Division. 

"  On  the  30th  Schaefer's  brigade  was  put  inaction  directly  to  the 
front  and  right  of  Wood's  division,  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  railroad. 
The  brigade  advanced  through  a  clump  of  timber,  and  took  position  on 
the  edge  of  the  cotton  field,  close  on  the'enemy's  lines,  relieving  Wood's 
division,  which  was  falling  back  under  heavy  pressure." 

General  Crittcndeti's  Report. 

"My  command  left  camp  near  Nashville,  Dec.  26,  '62,  and  reached 
the  point  where  the  battle  of  Stone's  River  was  fought  just  before  dusk 
on  the  evening  of  the  29th.  The  march  from  Nashville  was  accompa 
nied  by  skirmishing.  The  gallant  and  handsome  things  done  by  the 
several  portions  of  my  command  during  this  march,  have  been  men 
tioned  in  detail,  *  It  was  about  dusk,  and  just  at  a  moment  when 
Wood  and  Palmer  had  halted  to  gather  up  their  troops,  that  T  reached 
the  head  of  my  command.  These  two  generals  had  their  divisions  in 
line  of  battle,  Wood  on  the  left,  and  Palmer  on  the  right,  with  the  ene 
my  in  sight,  and  evidently  in  heavier  force  than  we  had  yet  encountered 
them  ;  it  was  evident  they  intended  to  dispute  the  passage  of  the  river, 
and  fight  the  battle  at  or  near  Murfreesboro.  At  this  moment  I  received 
orders  to  occupy  Murfreesboro  with  one  division,  encamping  others  out 
side.  I  immediately  gave  the  order  to  advance,  and  the  movement 
commenced.  Wood  was  ordered  to  occupy  the  place.  At  this 

time  it  was  dark.  Gen.  Wood  had  declared  that  he  was  hazarding  a 
great  deal  for  very  little,  to  move  over  unknown  ground,  and  thought 
that  I  ought  to  take  the  responsibility  to  disobey  the  order.  *  I  sus 
pended  the  order  one  hour.  By  this  time  Gen.  Rosecrans  came  to  the 
front,  and  approved  what  I  did.  In  the  meantime,  Col.  Harker,  after  a 
sharp  skirmish,  gallantly  crossed  the  river.  As  soon  as  possible  I 

recalled  Harker,  *  and  he  recrossed  without  serious  loss. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st,  when  the  battle  began,  I  occupied  the 
front  near  the  pike,  Palmer  on  the  right,  Wood  on  the  left,  and  Van- 
Cleve  in  reserve,  to  the  rear  and  left.  *  The  right  was  driven  back. 
The  confusion  of  troops  hindered  forming.  Being  soon  reinforced  by 
FynVs  and  Barker's  brigades,  the  enemy  was  pressed  vigorously,  too 
far.  They  came  upon  the  enemy  massed  to  receive  them  ;  who,  outnum 
bering  and  outflanking  them,  compelled  them  to  fall  back.  They  did  so 
in  good  order.  From  this  time,  the  great  object  ot  the  enemy  seemed  to 
be  to  break  our  left  and  front.  When  the  troops  composing  the  center 


100  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

and  right  wing  of  our  army  bad  been  driven  by  the  enemy  from  our 
original  line  of  battle,  the  1st  and  2d  divisions  of  the  left  wing  still  nobly 
maintained  their  position,  though  several  times  assaulted  by  the  enemy 
in  great  force. 

Gen.  Wood  being  wounded  on  the  31st,  the  command  devolved  on 
Hascall,  on  Jan.  1,  '63.  On  the  night  of  the  31st,  he  rested  500  yards  in 
the  rear  of  the  former  line,  the  right  resting  on  the  position  occupied  by 
Stokes'  Battery.  On  the  2d,  Hascall's  division  laid  half  an  hour  in  the 
early  part  of  the  day  under  the  heaviest  cannonading  we  endured.  Many 
were  killed,  but  the  men  would  not  flinch.  That  niirht  they  encamped 
a  little  in  advance  of  the  position  Beatty  had  occupied  on  the  river.  In 
this  position  the  troops  remained  till  Saturday  night,  when  the  river 
began  to  rise;  and  the  rain  continuing  to  fall,  all  recrossed  the  river. 
Sunday,  it  was  learned  that  the  enemy  had  evacuated  Murfreesboro." 

Gen.  T.  J.  Woods  Report. 

"The  country  occupied  by  the  bodies  of  hostile  troops  was  favorable 
for  a  small  force  to  retard  the  advance  of  a  larger  one.  The 

country  between  the  cultivated  tracts  is  densely  wooded  ;  and  much  of 
this  is  interspersed  with  thick  groves  of  cedar.  It  is  undulating  also, 
presenting  a  succession  of  swells  and  subsidences.  On  Saturday, 

Dec.  27,  'G2,  I  ordered  Hascall  to  take  the  advance  on  either  side  of  the 
pike.  Lavergne  was  the  first  object  to  attain.  The  enemy  was 

strongly  posted  in  the  houses  and  on  the  wooded  bights  in  our  rear,  and 
opposed  us  by  crossfire. 

Sunday,  28th,  we  remained  in  camp,  waiting  for  the  right  and  center 
to  get  into  position. 

On  Monday,  29th,  the  advance  was  resumed.  Marker's  brigade  was 
on  the  left  of  Wagner,  in  the  advance,  arid  Hascall's  brigade  was  in 
reserve. 

Arriving  within  2^  miles  of  Murfreesboro,  we  found  the  enemy  in 
force  immediately  in  our  front,  prepared  to  resist  seriously  and  deter 
minedly  our  further  advance.  I  halted  the  center,  and  Harker's  brigade 
occupied  the  wood,  in  part  of  which  Wagner  was  posted,  and  extended 
the  left  into  an  open  field.  We  remained  in  this  position  till 

Tuesday,  30th,  the  skirmishers  keeping  up  an  active  firing. 

On  Wednesday  morning,  31st,  it  was  reported  that  the  enemy  was 
moving  large  bodies  of  troops  to  his  left.  My  division  was  roused  at  5 
o'clock,  got  breakfast,  and  before  daylight  was  ready  for  action.  *  I 
directed  Harker  to  commence  the  movement  with  his  brigade.  *  A 
long  \vooded  ridge  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  stream  extends  along 
the  southern  side  of  Stone  River.  On  the  crest  of  this  ridge  the  enemy 
appeared  to  be  posted  in  force.  During  the  morning  some  firing  had  been 
heard,  but  not  sufficient  to  indicate  troops  seriously  engaged  ;  but  a  sud 
den  and  fierce  roar  and  rattle  of  musketry  burst  on  us  at  this  moment, 
which  indicated  that  the  enemy  had  attacked  the  right  wing  in  heavy 


BATTLE    OF    STONE    RIVER. 

I 

force;  and  soon  the  arrival  of  messengers  confirmed  the  indications.  I 
stopped  crossing,  withdrew  Hascall's  and  Barker's  brigades,  and  moved 
to  the  right  and  rear,  to  reinforce  the  center  and  right.  The  falling 

back  of  the  right  wing,  brought  our  lines  into  a  crochet.  The  en 

emy  was  seen  concentrating  large  masses  of  troops  in  the  fields;  and 
soon  they  moved  forward  to  the  attack.  *  The  artillery  in  our  front 
line,  as  well  as  that  in  the  rear  of  the  center  and  left,  poured  a  destruc 
tive  fire  on  the  advancing  foe;  but  on  became,  till  within  small-arm 
range,  when  he  was  repulsed  and  driven  back." 

About  10  o'clock,  Wednesday  morning,  30th,  General 
Wood  was  struck  by  a  minie  ball,  on  the  inner  side  of  his 
left  heel,  tearing  open  the  boot,  and  lacerating  the  foot ;  a 
severe  contusion  was  inflicted  also,  but  he  did  not  dismount 
till  7  o'clock  that  evening.  After  he  arrived  at  Dayton, 
Ohio,  on  leave  of  absence,  he  wrote,  referring  to  the  eve 
ning  of  Monday,  29th,  when  Harker's  brigade  was  ordered 
to  cross  the  river,  and  the  order  was  countermanded  : 

"  Before,  however,  the  order  was  suspended,  Harker's  brigade  had 
crossed  Stone  River,  under  a  galling  fire,  driven  in  the  enemy's  outposts, 
and  seized  a  strong  position,  which  it  held  until  nearly  10  o'clock  that 
evening." 

Gen.  Hascall's  Report  as  Division  Commander. 

"  When  the  command  devolved  on  me,  the  division  was  consider 
ably  scattered,  as  Col.  Harker's  brigade  had  been  in  action  all  day  on  the 
extreme  right,  and  had  not  returned.  About  11  P.  M.  that  day,  Harker 
returned  with  his  brigade.  The  line  was  now  nearly  at  right 

angles  with  the  railroad,  Harker's  brigade  resting  on  it.  In  this  position 
we  lay  all  next  day,  Jan.  1,  '63,  with  nothing  to  break  the  silence,  save 
picket  firing  and  an  occasional  artillery  duel.  Each  brigade  was  in  line 
of  battle;  and  occupying  so  much  front,  kept  the  men  constantly  on  the 
alert.  Most  of  the  other  divisions  had  reserves,  to  relieve  some.  We 
maintained  this  position  till  8  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Jan.  2.  At  this 
time  the  enemy  opened  the  most  terrific  fire  of  shot  and  shell  that  we 
sustained  during  the  entire  engagement.  During  the  night  they  had 
massed  several  batteries  in  our  front,  with  a  line  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long, 
and  all  at  once  they  opened  on  us.  Bradley's  battery  opened  a  brisk  fire, 
till  Stokes'  battery,  in  their  rear,  opened  with  grape,  which  took  effect 
on  Bradley's  men,  and  compelled  Bradley  to  retire.  The  infantry,-  how 
ever,  kept  their  position,  though  suffering  severely. 

Col.  John  W.  Blake,  of  the  40th  Indiana,  was  so  drunk  and  unfit  for 
duty,  that  he  was  arrested  and  sent  to  the  rear.  When  next  heard  from, 
he  was  in  Nashville,  claiming  to  be  wounded,  and  a  paroled  prisoner.  1 
recommend  his  dishonorable  discharge." 


102 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 


Report  of  Maj .  S.  Raw,  Chief  of  Artillery. 

"About  G  A.  M.,  Dee.  31,  '62,  Capt.  Cullen  Bradley's  6tb  Ohio  Light 
Battery  and  Barker's  brigade  moved  to  the  extreme  right,  where  they 
were  engaged  in  a  most  severely  contested  battle.  Before  superior  num 
bers  of  the  enemy,  the  brigade  and  battery  (after  repulsing  the  first  attack 
of  the  enemy,)  were  obliged  to  retire  ;  but  not  without  disputing  every 
inch  of  ground." 

Col.  Harker'x  Report. 

"The  3d  Brigade,  1st  Division,  Left  Wing,  14th  Army  Corps,  Dept, 
of  the  Cumberland,  formerly  20th  Brigade,  6th  Division,  left 

Stewart's  Creek  about  10  A.  M.,  Monday,  29th  ult.,  marching  most  of  the 
time  in  line  of  battle,  with  the  right  of  the  line  in  rear  of  the  left  of  the 
2d  Brigade,  Col.  Wagner  commanding.  Our  skirmishers  soon  came  upon 
the  enemy's  cavalry,  engaging  them  briskly,  and  driving  them  slowly 
before  them.  We  proceeded  in  this  manner,  cautiously  feeling  our  way, 
until  our  left  arrived  at  the  left  bank  of  Stone  River,  which  was  reached 
about  4  P.  M.  Up  to  this  time  we  had  suffered  no  casualties  from  the  en 
emy's  skirmishers.  We  took  up  a  position  near  Stone  River,  about  400 
yards  to  the  left  of  the  Nashville  and  Murfreesboro  pike,  the  2d  Brigade, 
Col.  Wagner  commanding,  being  on  the  right,  and  the  1st  Brigade,  Brig. 
Gen.  Hascall  commanding,  being  on  the  left,  and  somewhat  to  the  rear, 
owing  to  the  conformation  of  the  ground.  We  remained  in  this  position 
till  about  dark,  when  we  received  orders  to  proceed  to  Murfreesboro. 
Stone  River  being  fordable  in  our  front,  we  at  once  commenced  crossing 
the  stream.  Throwing  a  long  line  of  skirmishers  over  the  stream,  orders 
were  given  to  the  51st  Indiana,  13th  Michigan  and  73d  Indiana  to  cross 
simultaneously,  to  form  on  the  opposite  bank,  and  to  press  forward  and 
seize  the  commanding  nights  beyond;  while  the  64th  and  65th  Ohio, 
with  Bradley's  Battery,  were  directed  to  follow  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
The  skirmishers  had  barely  left  the  bank  of  the  river,  before  they  were 
vigorously  attacked  by  those  of  the  enemy,  concealed  in  a  thicket  and 
behind  a  fence  in  our  front.  Our  skirmishers  in  no  way  daunted  by  this 
fierce  assault  of  the  enemy,  pressed  gallantly  forward,  driving  the  foe, 
until  they  came  upon  the  enemy  in  force.  The  skirmishers  were  soon 
supported  by  the  front  line  of  the  brigade.  The  enemy  seemed  to  have 
been  entirely  disconcerted  by  this  bold  movement  of  our  troops,  and  fell 
back  in  confusion.  In  this  movement  our  loss  was  two  killed  and  three 
wounded.  This  slight  loss  must  be  attributed  to  the  able  manner  in 
which  the  officers  of  the  brigade  conducted  their  commands.  A  prisoner 
taken,  reported  an  entire  division  of  the  enemy  on  my  front;  and  move 
ments  along  the  entire  front  and  flanks  indicated  that  a  strong  force  was 
near  me.  I  reported  this  to  the  general  commanding  the  division  ;  at 
the  same  time  stating  that  I  could  hold  the  position  until  reinforced.  I 
soon  received  orders  to  recross  the  stream  ;  which  I  did;  occupying  the 
same  ground  as  before  crossing.  This  movement  was  so  quickly  execu- 


BATTLE    OP    STONE    RIVER.  103 

ted,  as  not  to  excite  the  suspicion  of  the  enemy.  Too  much  praise  cannot 
be  accorded  to  the  brave  officers  and  men  of  this  brigade,  for  their  bravery 
and  skill  in  driving  a  concealed  enemy  from  a  strong  position,  after  night 
fall,  and  holding  their  ground  in  the  face  of  an  enemy  three  times  their 
n  umbers. 

On  Dec.  30,  '62,  *  about  8  A.  M.,  the  enemy's  battery,  stationed 
on  an  eminence  near  the  right  bank  of  Stone  River,  opened  a  severe  fire 
of  shot  and  shell  upon  my  camp.  Bradley's  battery  was  ordered  into 
position,  to  engage  that  of  the  enemy.  After  a  severe  engagement  of  15 
minutes,  (."'apt.  Bradley  succeeded  in  silencing  the  enemy's  battery.  My 
command  sustained  no  loss  in  this  engagement. 

On  the  31st,  about  8  A.  M.,  I  received  orders  from  Gen.  Wood,  to  cross 
the  river  with  my  crmmand.  The  movement  was  commenced,  in  obe 
dience  to  Gen.  Wood's  order,  but  was  suspended  for  a  few  minutes  by  an 
order  emanating  from  Gen.  Crittenden.  While  awaiting  further  orders, 
Maj.  Gen.  Rosecrans  passed  my  command,  and  gave  me  direct  instruc 
tions  to  proceed  immediately  to  the  support  of  the  right  wing  of  our  army, 
which  was  yielding  to  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy  at  that  point. 
We  had  hardly  commenced  moving  toward  the  right,  when  a  Confede 
rate  battery  located  on  the  south  bunk  of  the  river,  opened  on  us,  killing 
1  man  and  wounding  2.  Not  stopping  to  reply  to  this  battery,  we  pressed 
steadily  forward.  On  approaching  the  right,  much  confusion  was  visi 
ble;  troops  marching  in  every  direction ;  stragglers  to  be  seen  in  great 
numbers;  and  teamsters  in  great  consternation,  endeavoring  to  drive 
their  teams  they  knew  not  whither.  My  progress  was  impeded  by  the 
confusion,  while  the  enemy  was  pouring  shot  and  shell  upon  us  from  at 
least  three  different  directions,  wounding  several  men  in  my  command. 
The  brigade  was,  however  extricated  from  this  perilous  position  as  soon 
as  possible,  and  pressed  on  to  a  position  on  the  extreme  right  of  our  line  ; 
Col.  Fyffe's  brigade,  of  Gen.  VanCleve's  division,  being  immediately  on 
our  left.  After  reaching  this  last  position,  my  brigade  marched  in  two 
lines,  the  51st  Indiana  on  rhe  right,  65th  Ohio  on  the  left,  the  battery  a 
little  retired  and  opposite  the  interval  between;  64th  Ohio  on  the  right  of 
the  second  line,  the  73d  Indiana  on  the  left,  with  the  13th  Michigan  in 
the  rear  of  the  caissons.  We  marched  in  this  order  about  half  a  mile, 
when  our  skirmishers  came  up  with  those  of  the  enemy,  and  the  fire  be 
came  brisk  in  front.  About  this  time  a  battery  from  the  enemy,  situated 
in  a  cornfield,  and  nearly  opposite  my  right  flank,  opened  upon  my  com 
mand  with  canister.  In  order  to  get  a  commanding  position  for  artillery, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  guard  well  my  right  flank,  which  I  was  fearful 
the  enemy  would  attempt  to  turn,  I  moved  the  command  a  little  to  the 
right.  While  this  movement  was  being  executed,  an  officer  reported  a 
strong  force  and  a  battery  of  the  enemy  in  front.  No  sooner  had  I  taken 
position  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  Mian  a  most  vigorous  engagement  com 
menced.  *  When  it  had  continued  twenty  minutes,  it  was  reported 
that  the  troops  on  my  left  had  given  way,  and  the  enemy  was  already  in 


104  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  rear  of  my  left  flank,  and  about  two  hundred  yards  from  it,  pouring 
a  destructive  cross-fire  on  my  troops.  It  became  necessary  to  fall  back. 

My  thanks  are  due  to  Col.  A.  D.  Streight  for  valuable  information  of 
the  movements  of  the  enemy  during  this  engagement. 

On  Jan  1,  the  1st  division  was  moved  a  little  to  the  right  and  rear. 
My  brigade  occupied  a  central  position  in  the  division,  on  the  front  line 
of  battle,  and  a  short  distance  to  the  left  of  the  Murfreesboro  pike.  We 
were  hardly  in  position,  before  the  enemy  drove  in  our  skirmishers. 
Bradley's  battery,  with  others,  opened  a  destructive  fire  of  case-shot  and 
shell,  driving  the  enemv  from  our  front,  and  sustaining  no  loss. 

Jan.  2,  Bradley's  battery  being  in  position  on  a  small  eminence  on 
our  front,  supported  on  the  right  by  the  64th  and  65th  Ohio,  behind  a 
small  clump  of  trees,  and  on  the  left  by  the  51st  Indiana,  lying  in  a  skirt 
of  timber;  while  the  13th  Michigan  and  73d  Indiana  were  in  reserve,  3 
batteries  of  the  enemy  opened  on  us.  They  were  promptly  responded  to 
by  Capt.  Bradley  and  another  battery  on  my  right;  when  the  most  fear 
ful  artillery  engagement  ensued  which  I  had  yet  had  the  experience  to 
witness.  The  enemy  having  our  range  quite  perfectly,  poured  upon  us 
a  most  destructive  fire,  causing  the  battery  on  our  right  to  be  abandoned  ; 
but  Capt.  Bradley  continued  his  well-directed  firing,  until  the  enemy's 
batteries  were  silenced.  While  this  engagement  was  going  on,  Capt. 
Stokes'  battery  posted  in  our  rear,  opened  upon  us,  mistaking  us  for  the 
enemy.  During  the  engagement  we  had  1  man  killed,  and  11 

wounded.  *  About  dark  we  were  ordered  to  cross  Stone  River.  My 
brigade  was  placed  in  the  front  line.  We  were  hardly  in  position,  before 
the  enemy  opened  on  us,  killing  1  man  of  the  64th  Ohio.  During  the 
night  we  constructed  breastworks  of  rails,  and  remained  on  the  front  till 
9  A.  M,,  Jan.  3,  when  we  were  relieved  and  ordered  to  the  rear  in  reserve, 
where  we  remained  till  about  3  p.  M.,  when  we  were  again  ordered  to  the 
front,  to  relieve  Wagner's  brigade,  and  occupied  a  position  on  the  left  of 
the  1st  Division.  We  remained  in  this  position  till  about  1  A.  M.,  Jan.  4, 
when  we  received  orders  to  recross  Stone  River.  We  crossed  the  stream 
and  took  position  in  rear  of  the  main  body  of  our  force,  and  about  500 
yards  to  the  left  of  the  railroad,  where  we  remained  till  the  troops  occu 
pied  Murfreesboro. 

Capt.  Francis  M.  Constant,  Co.  G,  and  2d  Lieut.  Alfred  Glide,  Co.  H, 
51st  Indiana,  were  wounded. 

From  Dec.  29  to  Jan.  2,  inclusive,  my  brigade  occupied  some  portion 
of  the  front,  and  during  each  day  some  portion  of  the  forces  under  my 
command  were  engaged  with  the  enemy,  and  sustained  greater  or  less 
losses.  For  the  cheerful  manner  in  which  they  stood  up  under  these  fa 
tigues  aad  exposures,  they  are  entitled  to  commendation,  I  must 
also  mention  a  circumstance 'worthy  of  notice,  which  occurred  on  Friday, 
Jan.  2.  The  enemy's  sharpshooters,  taking  advantage  of  the  woods  in 
our  front,  and  to  the  right  and  left,  had  crept  up  sufficiently  near  our 
camp,  with  the  evident  intention  of  picking  oft  our  general  and  field 


RATTLE    OF    STONE     RIVER. 


105 


officers.  They  annoyed  me  exceedingly,  firing  at  every  mounted  officer 
or  man  who  appeared  near  the  front.  Desirous  of  dislodging  this  con 
cealed  foe,  I  directed  the  skirmishers  to  advance,  and  clear  the  woods  if 
possible.  Capt.  Chambers,  of  the  51st  Indiana,  had  command  of  the 
skirmishers,  consisting  of  40  men  from  his  own  company,  Companies  B 
and  D,  73d  Indiana;  Companies  H,  E  and  K,  65th  Ohio;  Company  E, 
64th  Ohio.  The  little  detachment  numbered  only  120  men.  The  enemy's 
force  was  much  larger.  Our  skirmishers  drove  them  until  they  were 
checked  by  the  enemy's  batteries.  Tims  these  brave  men  not  only  drove 
a  concealed  enemy  from  a  strong  hiding  place,  but  elicited  valuable  in 
formation  concerning  the  position  of  his  masked  batteries.  This  act  of 
gallantry  elicited  the  praise  and  admiration  of  all  who  witnessed  it." 

Col.  S freight's  report  agrees  with  those  already  given, 
except  in  a  few  details.  It  begins  at  about  4  p.  M.,  Dec. 
29,  '62,  when  we  arrived  on  the  west  bank  of  Stone  River, 
half  a  mile  north  of  the  Murfreesboro  and  Nashville  pike, 
and  two  miles  from  Murfreesboro.  Here  we  were  ordered 
to  halt ;  and  we  remained  till  dark,  when  we  got  orders  to 
cross  the  river,  preparatory  to  moving  upon  Murfreesboro. 
As  we  were  fully  aware  that  the  enemy  occupied  the  oppo 
site  bank,  and  as  none  of  our  troops  had  up  to  that  time 
crossed  the  river,  it  was  necessary  to  proceed  cautiously,  to 
avoid  running  into  an  ambuscade.  Companies  A  and  F 
were  deployed  as  skirmishers,  and  ordered  to  cross  in  ad 
vance  ,  and  engage  the  enemy  briskly  ;  and  if  possible ,  to 
seize  the  higlits  on  the- east  side  of  the  river.  No  sooner 
had  our  skirmishers  crossed,  than  the  rebels  opened  fire  on 
them  briskly,  from  under  cover  of  a  fence  but  a  few  yards 
distant.  Our  skirmishers  rushed  forward  on  double-quick, 
and  charged  upon  the  rebels ,  who  instantly  fled  from  their 
hiding  places.  At  the  same  time  it  was  discovered  that  a 
large  number  was  concealed  in  a  field  of  standing  corn  on 
the  hillside  ;  and  fearing  that  they  would  overwhelm  our 
skirmishers,  the  whole  regiment  was  hastened  forward  at 
double-quick.  Before  the  regiment  had  entirely  crossed 
the  river,  information  came  that  the  rebels  were  advancing 
in  line  of  battle  just  beyond  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  about 
400  yards  to  our  front.  It  was  at  once  determined  to  seize 


106  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  crest  before  the  rebels  could  get  there,  if  possible  ;  and 
we  started  on  the  run  forward.  The  entire  ridge  seemed 
to  issue  forth  a  continuous  flame  of  fire,  yet  not  a  man  fal 
tered,  but  each  seemed  to  strive  to  reach  the  desired  point 
in  advance  of  his  comrades.  The  boldness  of  the  move 
ment,  and  the  alacrity  with  which  it  was  executed,  with  a 
well-directed  fire,  struck  terror  to  the  rebels,  who  fell  back 
in  dire  confusion.  Orders  came  just  then  to  advance  no 
further,  but  to  hold  our  position.  The  colonel  ordered  the 
men  to  lie  down,  so  as  to  conceal  them  as  much  as  possi 
ble  ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  rebels  were  seen  advancing 
on  our  position.  They  were  allowed  to  come  within  thirty 
steps,  when  we  opened  fire  on  them  with  such  effect,  that 
they  hardly  waited  for  reply,  but  broke  and  fled  again.  In 
a  few  minutes  reinforcements  joined  us  on  our  right  and 
left.  We  remained  there,  without  further  molestation,  till 
about  10  o'clock  that  night,  when  orders  came  to  retire  to 
the  opposite  bank  of  the  river.  After  waiting  till  the  rest 
of  the  brigade  had  recrossed,  the  Fifty-First  followed  ;  at 
the  same  time  withdrawing  our  skirmishers  in  good  order. 
The  regiment  was  marched  about  500  yards  from  tfye  ford, 
where  it  bivouacked  for  the  night.  Light  shirmishing  was 
all  that  occurred,  till  the  morning  of  the  31st,  when  it  was 
evident,  from  the  terrific  roar  of  artillery  and  musketry, 
that  the  rebels  were  turning  the  extreme  right  of  our  army. 
We  were  at  once  ordered  at  double-quick  to  the  right  and 
rear ;  but  had  only  moved  a  short  distance,  when  we  came 
within  range  of  the  enemy's  artillery  ;  yet,  though  several 
of  our  boys  were  wounded,  with  no  chance  of  striking  at 
the  enemy,  we  moved  a  distance  of  more  than  a  mile,  with 
as  perfect  regularity  as  if  we  had  been  on  drill.  And  even 
when  we  came  in  contact  with  hundreds  of  excited,  noisy, 
jangling  teams  and  teamsters,  every  command  was  quietly 
and  promptly  obeyed,  without  confusion.  After  marching 
about  2|  miles,  we  readied  the  extreme  right  of  the  army. 
We  had  hardly  halted,  before  we  were  ordered  forward  in 


BATTLE    OF    STONE    RIVER. 


107 


line  of  battle  across  open  cotton  and  corn  fields.     Compa 
nies  A,  B  and  F  were  deployed  as  skirmishers  to  cover  our 
extreme  right  and  front.     In  this  order  we   proceeded  half 
a  mile,   when  our  skirmishers,  approaching  the  crest  of  a 
ridge  in  front,  were  fired  upon  by  a  large  force  of  rebels, 
concealed  in  standing  corn.     Instantly  the  whole  line  was 
forwarded   at  a  double-quick  ;  our  skirmishers  soon  came 
upon  the  enemy,  when  a  well-directed   fire  sent  them  skur- 
rying  through  the  corn  like  the  shoats  at  Gadara.     Again 
we  were  fortunate  in  wresting  from  the  rebels  an  advantage 
in  position.     We  had   a  fine  chance  at  them  as  they  were 
skedaddling  down  those  long  furrows,  for  about  400  yards  ; 
large   numbers  of  them  falling  under  the  superior  marks 
manship  of  our  Hoosier  boys.     Shortly  after  we  had  taken 
possession  of  the  ridge,  Lieut  .-Col.  Colescott,  in  command 
of  the  skirmishers,   sent  word  to  Col.  Straight  that  large 
masses  of  troops  were  seen  moving  toward  a  piece  of  woods 
to  our  left  and  front.     Streight  at  once  notified   Col.  Har- 
ker,  and  requested  that  the  6th  Ohio  Battery  be  sent  to  the 
ridge   we  were  then  occupying.     The  battery  was  soon  on 
the  ground,  but  not  too  soon  ;  for  by  the  time  it  was  in  po 
sition,  the  rebels  had  engaged  the  troops  to  our  left.    Capt. 
Bradley  opened  a  most  withering  fire,  enfilading  them  at  a 
distance  of  not  over  500  yards.     They  were  in  column  four 
regiments  deep.     Their  dead  were  literally  piled  in  heaps, 
by  the  terrific  fire  from  this  battery.     The  battle  had  been 
raging  about  three-quarters  of  an   hour,  when  word   came 
that  the  division  on  our  left  was  falling  back.    At  the  same 
moment  Col.  Harker  ordered  us  to  fall  back  ;  which  we  did 
in  good  order,  taking  off  all  of  our  wounded.     Having  no 
instruction  where  to  form,  we  took   possession  of  the  first 
advantageous  ground,   expecting  to  give  the  enemy  battle  ; 
but  we  were  soon  ordered  to  resume   the   position  we  first 
occupied  on  the  extreme  right.     Companies  H  and  C  were 
now  deployed  as  skirmishers.     Again  we  were  approached 
by  the  rebels,  and  had  got  fairly  engaged,  when  they  broke 


108  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

and  fled  from  the  field  in  great  confusion.  It  was  nearly 
night  now,  and  the  contest  was  ended  for  the  day.  Other 
troops  came  up,  and  we  were  again  ordered  to  the  position 
we  occupied  the  day  before  ;  where  we  bivouacked  for  the 
night.  Early  next  morning,  we  were  ordered  into  position 
about  half  a  mile  to  our  right  and  rear,  where  we  remained 
through  the  day.  Companies  A  and  G,  and  one  company 
from  the  73d  Indiana,  were  sent  forward  as  skirmishers,  to 
drive  the  rebels  from  a  piece  of  woods  half  a  mile  to  our 
front ;  which  was  accomplished  in  short  order.  We  had 
nothing  further  to  do  that  day. 

On  Jan.  2,  Col.  Straight  took  Co.  H,  with  several  volun 
teers  from  other  companies,  and  drove  the  rebels  from  the 
woods  formerly  occupied  by  the  21st  Brigade.  The  contest 
was  very  severe  for  a  short  time,  but  our  boys  finally  got 
the  advantage,  and  what  was  left  of  the  johnnies,  skedad 
dled.  Ten  rebels  were  left  dead  on  the  ground,  and  their 
wounded  were  scattered  in  every  direction.  This  was  the 
last  engagement  in  this  campaign  in  which  the  Fifty-First 
participated . 

We  took  19  prisoners  ;  1  major  and  1  captain.  From 
careful  observation  made  by  Col.  Straight,  on  the  various 
grounds  over  which  the  Fifty-First  fought,  he  said  : 

"  I  am  convinced  tbat  we  have  killed  not  less  than  60  of  the  enemy  ; 
and  by  adding  five  times  that  number,  the  usual  proportion  of  wounded 
to  those  killed,  we  have  a  grand  total  of  360.  These  figures,  though 
seemingly  large  for  the  amount  of  loss  sustained  by  us,  I  feel  confident 
could  be  fully  verified  by  the  facts.  Most  of  the  ground  fought  over  by 
my  regiment  has  not  been  covered  by  other  troops,  and  in  nearly  every 
case  we  have  been  placed  where  it  was  easy  to  decide  which  were  our 
killed.  The  success  attending  us,  in  most  cases,  and  our  small  loss,  I 
think  is  attributable  in  a  great  measure  to  the  advantage  taken  of  the 
ground. 

Feeling  grateful  beyond  expression,  for  the  brave  soldierly  bearing, 
and  prompt  manner  in  which  both  officers  and  nen  performed  every 
duty  assigned  them,  I  feel  a  great  delicacy  in  mentioning  names." 

Captains  Russell,  Chambers  and  Flinn,  and  the  men 
under  them  received  mention  for  distinguished  services. 


RATTLE  OF  STONE  RIVER.  109 

Marion  Fitch  came  to  the  regiment  just  as  it  was  going 
into  action  on  the  first  day.  He  had  no  knowledge  what 
ever  of  a  gun,  save  the  little  experience  he  had  in  hunting 
frogs  and  kildees  down  on  the  creek  near  his  home  ;  but  he 
grabbed  a  rifle,  and  soon  was  cracking  away  with  as  good 
will  as  some  of  the  veterans.  Many  other  "troopees"  who 
were  equally  inexperienced,  made  records  in  that  fight. 

While  crossing  the  river  on  the  night  of  Dec.  29,  a 
ball  from  a  rebel  rifle  passed  over  the  heads  of  the  men  in 
front,  striking  George  W.  Holbrook,  a  recruit  of  Co.  F, 
square  in  the  forehead.  He  dropped  forward  in  the  river, 
but  his  body  was  recovered  and  taken  back.  He  was  very 
tall,  his  hight  being  6  feet,  7  inches.  He  had  enlisted  but 
six  days  before . 

During  a  lull  in  the  first  day's  fight,  John  Gasper,  Co. 
C,  sat  down  on  a  spur  of  a  large  tree  to  rest.  On  the  sec 
ond  day,  the  fortune  of  battle  brought  him  to  the  same  spot. 
Just  then  a  big  solid  ball  struck  the  same  tree,  scattering 
chips  in  every  direction.  Gasper  gave  a  big  sigh,  and  an 
expression  of  relief. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  a  comrade. 
"Come  mighty  nigh  bein'  shot!" 
"How?" 

"Why,  that  ball  struck  right  where  I  sat  yesterday  !" 
As  we  fell  back,  on  the  31st,  Martin  Phillippe,  Co.  E, 
was  struck  by  a  bullet  in  the  back  part  of  the  right  calf, 
the  ball  splitting,  and  fitting  itself  so  firmly  around  the 
bone,  that  the  ball  had  to  be  chipped  off.  In  the  Raid, 
near  Rome,  Ga.,  the  same  soldier  had  a  similar  experience, 
a  ball  entering  the  left  calf,  exactly  as  in  the  first  instance 
it  entered  the  right. 

As  we  moved  over,  011  the  morning  of  Dec.  31,  to  take 
position  on  the  right,  Capt.  M.  T.  Anderson,  Co.  I),  was 
seriously  wounded  in  the  head,  by  the  concussion  of  a  shell. 
At  the  same  time,  Orderly  Sergeant  David  Denny,  Co.  E, 
lost  the  skirt  of  his  overcoat,  that  was  swept  away  by  a 


110  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

cannon  ball.  Many  other  comrades  received  similar  little 
courtesies  ;  and  were  thankful  that  they  were  no  worse. 

Among  the  many  brave  acts  of  our  boys,  was  the  cap 
ture  of  a  rebel  major,  by  Corporal  Clements,  of  Co.  C,  who 
marched  his  prisoner  to  the  rear,  with  9  others,  and  turned 
them  into  the  "bull-pen." 

Up  to  this  time,  war  had  been  more  of  a  school — a 
sort  of  system  of  experiments,  than  otherwise.  From  this 
time  on,  we  got  down  to  business  ;  and  the  reports  show  an 
enormous  increase  in  the  killed  and  wounded  in  battle.  It 
was  found  much  cheaper  and  better  in  the  long  run,  than 
to  chase  around  over  the  country  after  skedaddling  rebels, 
or  to  lie  in  camp,  waiting  for  them  to  attack  us.  And,  as 
usual,  the  common  soldiers  arrived  at  this  point  long  before 
the  generals  did.  It  was  found  that  strategy  was  only  the 
method  of  cowards.  More  pluck  was  needed;  indeed  that 
was  what  conquered  the  rebellion.  And  right  there  comes 
in  the  point  of  comparison  between  the  hobbling  tactics  of 
the  Corinth  campaign  and  the  Bragg  chase,  with  their  re 
spective  originators  and  managers.  Anybody  could  figure 
on  the  possibilities  of  a  campaign  ;  but  it  took  real  soldiers 
to  fight.  We  had  got  the  poor  material  weeded  out  pretty 
much  ;  and  when  the  order  came  to  go  in  where  the  battle 
raged,  every  eye  brightened,  and  every  form  straightened 
up  to  its  full  hight,  as  the  command  rang  down  the  line  : 

"  'Tention,  Fifty-First !  Load  at  will ! — fix  bayonets  ! 
— forward  ! — fire  at  will ! — march  I" 

Quickly  the  bayonet  flashed  from  its  scabbard,  and 
clicked  as  it  was  firmly  fixed  ;  then  hands  flew  to  cartridge- 
boxes,  teeth  tore  off  the  end,  the  charge  was  thrust  into 
the  muzzle  ;  the  rammer  slipped  nimbly  from  its  place,  to 
drive  home  the  deadly  ball,  and  returned  as  swiftly  to  its 
socket ;  finger  and  thumb  placed  the  cap,  and  all  was  ready 
in  a  moment,  and  the  column  was  moving  forward.  They 
step  cautiously,  observing  meanwhile  the  alignment;  care 
fully  inspecting  cartridge-boxes,  to  see  that  they  are  well 


BATTLE  OF  STONE  RIVER.  Ill 

supplied  with  ammunition.  Then  the  balls  begin  to  whiz 
about  their  heads  ;  but  they  do  not  falter.  Batteries  are 
pounding  away  ;  trees  and  every  other  sort  of  shelter  are 
taken  advantage  of;  shells  fall  thick  and  fast,  and  general 
havoc  ensues.  Then  the  colonel  again  shouts  : 

«  Tentioii,  Fifty-First!  Fire  at  will! — charge — with 
a  yell!" 

And  no  power  on  earth  could  withstand  the  awful  com 
bination  of  such  a  terrific  volley,  such  a  withering  yell, 
and  the  gleaming  of  those  murderous  bayonets  !  A  rebel 
flag  is  shot  down.  More  yells  follow  ;  as  the  miserable  rag 
is  torn  to  pieces ,  to  b*e  sent  home  in  the  next  letters . 

Thus  the  battle  rages,  to  the  end  ;  and  our  boys  come 
up  smiling  after  each  sanguinary  round. 

Jan.  4  '63,  was  spent  in  burying  the  dead  ;  and  on  the 
5th  our  army  occupied  Murfreesboro,  which  was  most  elab 
orately  fortified. 

We  were  satisfied  with  fighting,  and  were  glad  to  rest. 
We  had  had  a  hard  time  since  Christmas;  without  tents, 
and  fighting  more  or  less  every  day,  much  of  the  time  on 
short  rations,  and  part  of  the  time  without  any.  It  had 
rained  most  of  the  time,  too;  but  amidst  all  these  trials 
and  hardships,  the  boys  stood  it  well. 

The  fall  of  Murfreesboro,  and  the  complete  rout  of 
Bragg's  army,  was  a  terrible  disappointment  to  the  copper 
heads  of  Indiana,  who  had  planned  to  openly  recognize  the 
rebel  confederacy,  and  to  still  further  divide  the  Union  by 
antagonizing  the  Northwest  and  the  New  England  States. 
Their  scheme  was  badly  frost-bitten. 

"INDIANAPOLIS,  IND.,  Jail,  3,  1863— 9  :  20  P.  M. 

HON.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War: 

I  am  advised  that  it  is  contemplated  when  the 

Legislature  meets,  to  pass  a  joint  resolution  acknowledging  the  Southern 
Confederacy,  and  urging  the  States  of  the  Northwest  to  dissolve  all  con 
stitutional  relations  with  the  New  England  States.  The  same  thing  is 
on  foot  in  Illinois.  O.  P.  MORTON, 

Governor  of  Indiana." 


112  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

NOLINSVILLE    RECONNOISANCE . 

Nothing  of  importance  occurred  in  the  Fifty-First,  till 
the  13th,  when  a  reconnoisance  was  made  from  Murfrees- 
boro  to  Nolinsville.  This  may  be  most  briefly  told  in  the 
language  of  Col.  Wagner's  report  to  Gen.  Hascall,  com 
manding  1st  Division  : 

"In  accordance  with  orders  from  Gen.  Roaecrans,  on  the  morning 

of  the  13th,  at  2  A.  M.,  I  marched  from  camp  in  the  direction  of  Triune. 
My  force  consisted  of  the  3d  Brigade,  Col.  Streight  commanding,  the  2d 
Brigade,  (my  own,)  and  Capt.  Otis'  brigade  of  cavalry ;  about  700  strong. 
The  crossing  of  the  river  was  difficult,  detaining  us  some  time.  The 
route  was  by  way  of  Lizzard  and  Lane's  storey  to  the  pike  at  Bole  Jack. 
Here  we  saw  some  eight  or  ten  mounted  men,  who  seemed  to  be  posted 
as  lookouts,  on  the  hill ;  only  one  was  taken.  We  saw  nothing 

of  importance,  and  moved  forward  to  Nolinsvile,  where  we  camped 
for  the  night.  Here  we  ascertained  that  Wheeler  had  been  joined  by 
Forest,  with  1,000  men,  making  the  entire  force  3,000,  and  7  pieces  of  ar 
tillery.  On  the  morning  of  the  14th  I  was  ordered  to  move  to  Eagleville, 
14  miles,  to  strike  the  enemy.  Rain  prevented,  as  on  the  morn 

ing  of  the  15th  it  was  impossible  to  move.  Owing  to  the  rain  and 

cold,  the  men  suffered  much.  The  officers  did  not  sutler  so  much,  yet 
some  complained  more  than  those  who  waded  knee-deep.  The  men, 
when  they  came  to  a  vast  pond  or  creek,  raised  a  shout  or  a  song,  and 
plunged  in.  The  stones  of  the  pike  cut  their  shoes  badly." 

On  the  14th,  it  rained  all  day,  and  we  camped  that 
night  twelve  miles  from  Murfreesboro.  There  seems  to  be 
a  very  important  omission  in  Gen.  Hascall's  report ;  for  at 
this  point  there  is  information  from  another  and  reliable 
source,  that  we  were  suddenly  attacked  by  superior  num 
bers.  It  was  a  critical  moment,  and  every  one  knew  we 
must  get  out  of  there  as  speedily  as  possible,  or  we  would 
be  captured.  Lieutenant  Dooley,  seeing  the  situation,  and 
knowing  the  necessity  for  prompt  action,  did  not  wait  for 
the  colonel,  lieutenant-colonel  or  major,  all  of  whom  were 
present;  but  rushing  to  the  front  of  the  line,  shouted  at 
the  top  of  his  voice,  "Battalion  !  forward,  double-quick,  to 
the  ravine  \"  The  order  was  as  promptly  obeyed  ;  the  field 
officers  bringing  up  the  rear. 

While   skirmishing   at   Lavergne,   along  a  little  creek 


CAPTURED    BY    GUERRILLAS.  113 

on  the  left  of  the  pike,  Henry  Moore  saw  a  man  dressed  in 
citizen's  clothes  riding  along  the  fence  on  the  opposite  side 
of  an  open  field.  Suspecting  him  of  being  a  rebel,  Henry 
made  up  his  mind  to  capture  him.  So,  without  orders,  he 
rushed  across  the  field,  despite  the  enemy's  bullets,  halted 
the  fellow,  marched  him  into  our  lines,  and  delivered  him 
at  brigade  headquarters.  The  prisoner  was  a  Kentuckian, 
and  boasted  of  his  superior  blood.  He  was  so  humiliated, 
that  he  cried  like  a  baby. 

March  8,  '63,  Lieut  .-Col.  Colescott  resigned,  leaving 
the  regiment  in  command  of  Major  Denny,  Col.  Streight 
being  in  Indianapolis,  collecting  absentees. 

COL.  STREIGHT    CAPTURES    HIS    CAPTORS. 

March  20,  '63,  while  en  route  from  Louisville  to  Nash 
ville,  the  train  in  which  Colonel  Streight  and  a  number  of 
other  soldiers  were  going  to  the  front,  was  captured  by  65 
guerrillas,  who  threw  the  train  off  by  placing  obstructions 
011  the  track.  The  engine,  tender  and  two  baggage  cars 
were  completely  wrecked  ;  but,  strange  to  say,  no  one  was 
hurt.  The  rebels  wanted  to  parole  the  soldiers,  but  they 
refused  to  be  paroled  ;  believing  they  could  escape  before 
getting  into  the  rebel  lines.  During  the  parley,  fifty  men 
belonging  to  the  129th  Illinois,  came  in  sight,  when  the 
guerrillas  ran  for  their  horses.  Colonel  Streight  instantly 
took  command,  and  they  pursued;  killing  two,  wounding 
a  number,  and  capturing  several  horses.  They  then  went 
to  work,  cleared  the  wreck  away,  sent  for  an  engine,  and 
arrived  in  Nashville  next  morning  all  right. 

[From  the  Official  War  Records.] 

"Louisville,  Mar.  19,  1863. 
Maj.  Gen.  WRIGHT,  Cincinnati: 

Ilebels  captured  passenger  train  this  aflernoon  near 
Mitchellville,  Teun.  Col.  Streight  had  men  on  the  train,  and  gave  fight. 
Were  fighting  at  last  accounts.  Gen,  Judah  telegraphs  he  had  sent  200 
reinforcements.  Train  thrown  oft  the  track, 

J.  T.  BOYLE, 
Brig.  Gen.,  Comdg.  Dist.  of  Ky. 


114  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 


THE  RAID  TO  ROME. 

ORGANIZATION    OF    THE    PROVISIONAL    EXPEDITION. 

Then  comes  the  ' ' Provisional  Campaign,"  in  which  is 
included  the  voluminous  history  of  the  capture  of  the  regi 
ment,  and  incarceration  in  Libby  Prison,  as  well  as  the 
romantic  escape  of  some,  and  death  of  others. 

Van  Home 's  report  of  this  campaign ,  says  : 

"April  7th,  Gen.  Rosecrans  organized  a  provisional  brigade  of  1,700 
men  for  independent  service,  and  assigned  Col.  A.  D.  Streight  to  its  com 
mand,  with  instructions  to  repair  to  Nashville  and  prepare  to  make  an 
expedition  into  Alabama  and  Georgia  to  interrupt  communications  and 
destroy  property  of  all  kinds  useful  to  the  enemy.  Having  obtained  a 
partial  supply  of  unserviceable  mules,  Col.  Streight  proceeded  to  Pal 
myra,  and  thence  across  to  Ft.  Henry,  gathering  on  the  way  as  many 
serviceable  animals  as  possible.  At  Ft.  Henry  he  embarked  for  Eastport, 
Miss.  He  left  that  point  on  the  21st,  reached  Tuscumbia  on  the  24th, 
and  moved  thence  on  the  26th  for  Moulton.  Leaving  that  place  at  mid 
night  on  the  28th,  he  pressed  forward  through  Day's  Gap  toward  Blounts- 
ville.  While  passing  through  the  Gap,  his  rear-guard  was  attacked  by 
Forrest's  cavalry.  The  enemy  followed  him  through  Blountsville,  Gads- 
den,  and  01%  toward  Rome.  He  defeated  Forrest  repeatedly,  but  his  men 
and  his  animals  becoming  jaded,  he  lost  heavily  by  capture.  With 
diminished  ranks,  and  in  almost  utter  destitution  of  serviceable  ammu 
nition,  (his  ammunition  had  been  injured  by  fording  streams,)  he  moved 
on,  and  crossed  the  Chattooga  river,  in  hope  of  destroying  the  bridge  at 
Rome.  But  in  this  he  failed,  as  the  enemy  pressed  upon  him  so  closely, 
that  his  men  became  exhausted,  and  many  having  been  already  killed 
and  captured,  and  there  being  no  hope  of  accomplishing  the  object  of  his 
expedition,  he  surrendered  to  Forrest  on  the  3d  of  May.  This  enterprise 
was  boldly  conceived,  and  there  was  no  lack  of  bravery  and  energy  in 
its  conduct,  but  the  contingencies  were  not  clearly  apprehended,  and  the 
actual  results  did  not  compensate  for  the  loss  of  so  many  men  and  so 
much  material.  But  failure  though  it  was,  it  was  the  type  of  enterprises 
which,  undertaken  under  better  conditions,  resulted  in  brilliant  success. 
It  was  a  mistake  to  start  with  a  half  supply  of  poor  animals,  depending 
mainly  upon  captures  to  mount  half  his  command  at  the  start.  This 


THE    RAID    TO    ROME.  115 

plan  caused  delay  in  starting,  and  the  result  was  that  the  enemy  was  en 
countered  hi  superior  nu mber»  soon  after  Col.  Streight  had  passed  beyond 
the  reach  of  support.  The  enemy's  partisan  leaders  in  their  raids  in 
Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  had  citizens  of  these  States  for  soldiers,  could 
always  depend  upon  the  friendship  and  assistance  of  a  large  portion  of 
the  inhabitants,  and,  besides,  were  themselves  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  country,  and  consequently  were  hardly  ever  ignorant  of  the 
strength  of  the  forces  operating  against  them,  or  of  the  short  routes  to 
safety.  The  conditions  of  success  were  very  different  subsequently,  when 
the  national  forces  undertook  to  interrupt  the  enemy's  communications 
and  make  destructive  raids.  Such  enterprises  were  given  an  unheralded 
start,  and  were  prepared  for  quick  movement,  or  else  had  such  strength 
as  to  defy  ordinary  opposition.  These  ci nditiona  were  wanting  in  Col. 
Streight's  adventure." 

All  of  which  is  true ,  and  leads  to  the  .moral :  You 
can't  jump  into  the  king-row,  when  it's  full.  Also,  it  is 
easy  to  stand  off  and  tell  how. 

The  following,  which  is  compiled  from  the  testimony 
of  those  who  participated  in  that  famous  expedition,  and 
from  the  Official  War  Records,  tells  the  story  more  fully  ; 
and  it  also  exposes  the  perfidy  of  the  notorious  guerrilla, 
and  sneaking  cutthroat,  Forrest,  to  whom  Colonel  Straight 
surrendered  his  command,  and  who  telegraphed  to  the 
rebel  authorities  a  very  sensational  and  lying  account  of 
the  affair,  in  which  he  praised  himself  greatly. 

In  the  spring  of  1863,  Colonel  Straight  applied  to 
Gen.  Rosecrans  for  an  independent  mounted  brigade,  with 
which  to  engage  the  guerrilla  bands  of  Forrest  and  Wheel-' 
er  and  other  rebel  organizations  that  infested  the  banks  of 
the  Cumberland  and  Tennessee  rivers,  and  caused  a  great 
deal  of  annoyance  to  our  transportation.  This  enterprise 
was  favorably  received  by  General  Garfield,  who  was  then 
chief  of  General  Rosecrans'  staff,  and  who  presented  the 
matter  to  the  department  commander  in  such  manner  as 
to  gain  his  consent  to  its  organization.  It  was  designated 
as  the  "Independent  Provisional  Brigade,"  designed  for 
special  secret  service. 

On  April  7,  '63,  Colonel  Straight  received  orders  from 
General  Rosecrans  to  proceed  with  the  Provisional  Brigade , 


116  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

about   1,700  officers  and  men,  composed  of  the  following: 
51st  Indiana,  Lt.-Col.  Jas.  W.  Sheets. 
73d  Indiana,  Col.  Gilbert  Hathaway. 
3d  Ohio,  Col.  Orris  A.  Lawson. 
80th  Illinois,  Lt.-Col  --  Rogers. 
Middle  Tennessee  Cavalry,    (2  companies,) 

Capt.  D.  D.  Smith. 

They  were  to  go  to  Nashville,  and  fit  out  as  speedily 
as  possible  for  an  expedition  to  the  interior  of  Alabama 
and  Georgia,  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  railroads 
and  other  rebel  property  in  those  States.  He  was  to  draw 
about  one-half  the  mules  necessary  to  mount  the  command 
at  Nashville,  and  seize  in  the  country  through  which  they 
passed  a  sufficient  number  of  animals  to  mount  the  rest. 

On  arriving  at  Nashville,  Colonel  Streight  organized 
the  following  staff : 

Capt.  D.  L.  Wright,  51st  Ind.,  A.  A.  A.  G. 
Maj.  W.  L.  Peck,  3d  Ohio,  Brigade  Surgeon. 
Quartermaster  J.  G.  Doughty,  51st  Ind.,  A.  Q'  M. 
Capt.  E.  M.  Driscoll,  3d  Ohio,  A.  A.  I.  G. 
Lieut.  J.  W.  Pavey,  80th  Illinois,  Ordnance  Officer. 
Lieut.  A.  C.  Roach,  51st  Indiana,  A.  D.  C. 
It  is  proper,   at  this   point,  to  introduce  the  following 
correspondence,  relating  to  this  expedition  : 

Rosecrans  to  Hurlburt : 

"  MURFREESBORO,  April  2,  1863—11  p.  M. 

Col.  Streight,  with  near  2,000  picked  men,  will  probably  reach  East- 
port  by  Thursday  next.  Dodge,  with  the  Marine  Brigade  and  the  gun 
boats,  can  occupy  or  whip  the  Tuscumbia  forces,  and  let  my  force  go 
directly  to  its  main  object,  the  destruction  of  the  railroads.  This  great 
enterprise,  fraught  with  great  consequences,  I  beg  you  to  commend  to 
Dodge's  care,  enjoining  on  him  to  despatch  Streight  by  every  means  to 
his  destination.  Nothing,  if  possible,  should  arrest  his  progress." 

Crittenden  to  Gar  field  : 

f  "HDQRS.  21  ST  ARMY  CORPS, 
\  Murf'reesboro,  April  6,  1863. 
Brig.  Gen.  J.  A.  GARFIELD,  Chief  of  Staff: 

SIR — On  more  than  one  occasion  I  have  had 


THE    RAID    TO    ROME. 


117 


some  brief  conversation  with  the  commanding  general  in  regard  to  the 
enterprise  proposed  by  Col.  Streight,  of  the  51st  Indiana  Volunteers,  for 
cutting  the  enemy's  communications  in  his  rear.  This  is  certainly  a 
most  important  movement,  and  if  it  could  he  crowned  with  anything 
like  a  reasonable  amount  of  success,  would  undoubtedly  lead  to  great 
results.  *  My  object  is  to  offer  some  suggestions,  supposing  that  the 
commanding  general  should  decide  Col.  Streight's  scheme  to  be  feasible. 


Garfield  to  Sir  eight — Assignment : 

"April  7,  1863. 

COLONEL— By  Special  Field  Orders  No.  94,  Paragraph  viii,  you  have 
been  assigned  to  the  command  of  an  independent  provisional  brigade  for 
temporary  purposes.  After  fitting  out  your  command  with  equipments 
and  supplies,  as  you  have  already  been  directed,  in  the  verbal  instruc 
tions  of  the  general  commanding  this  department,  you  will  proceed  by  a 
route,  of  which  you  will  be  advised  by  telegraph,  to  some  good  steamboat 
landing  on  the  Tennessee  River,  not  far  above  Ft.  Henry,  where  you  will 
embark  your  command,  and  proceed  up  the  river.  At  Hamburg  you  will 
confer  with  Brig.  Gen.  Dodge,  who  will  probably  have  a  messenger 
there  awaiting  your  arrival.  If  it  should  then  appear  unsafe  to  move 
farther  up  the  river,  you  will  debark  at  Hamburg,  and  without  delay, 
join  the  force  of  Gen.  Dodge,  which  will  then  be  en  route  for  luka,  Miss. 
If,  however,  it  should  be  deemed  safe,  you  will  land  at  Eastport,  and 
form  a  junction  with  Gen.  Dodge. 

From  that  point  you  will  then  march,  in  conjunction  with  him,  to 
menace  Tuscumbia,  but  you  will  not  wait  to  join  in  an  attack,  unless  it 
should  be  necessary  for  the  safety  of  Gen.  Dodge's  command,  or  your 
own,  or  unless  some  considerable  advantage  can  be  gained  over  the  en- 
^my  without  interfering  with  the  general  object  of  the  expedition. 

After  having  marched  long  enough  with  Gen.  Dodge  to  create  a 
general  impression  that  you  are  a  part  of  his  expedition,  you  will  push 
to  the  southward,  and  reach  Russell ville  or  Moulton.  Thence  your  route 
will  be  governed  by  circumstances,  but  you  will,  with  ail  reasonable  de 
spatch,  push  on  to  Western  Georgia,  and  cut  the  railroads  which  supply 
the  rebel  army  by  way  of  Chattanooga.  To  accomplish  this,  is  the  chief 
object  of  your  expedition  ;  and  you  must  not  allow  collateral  nor  inciden 
tal  schemes,  even  though  promising  great  results,  to  delay  you  so  as  to 
endanger  your  return.  Your  quartermaster  has  been  furnished  with 
funds  sufficient  for  the  necessary  expenses  of  your  command.  You  will 
draw  your  supplies,  and  keep  your  command  well  mounted,  from  the 
country  through  which  you  pass.  For  all  property  taken  for  the  legiti 
mate  use  of  your  command,  you  wi'l  make  cash  payments  in  full  to  men 
of  undoubted  loyalty;  give  the  usual  conditional  receipts  to  men  whose 
loyalty  is  doubtful,  but  to  rebels  nothing. 

You  are  particularly  commanded  to  restrain  your  command  from 


118  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

pillage  and  maraud  ing.  You  will  destroy  all  depots  of  supplies  of  the 
rebel  army,  all  manufactories  of  guns,  ammunition,  equipments  and 
clothing  for  their  use,  which  you  can  without  delaying  you  so  as  to  en 
danger  your  return. 

That  you  may  not  be  trammeled  with  minute  instructions,  nothing 
further  will  be  ordered  than  this  general  outline  of  policy  and  operation. 
You  are  authorized  to  erdist  all  able-bodied  men  who  desire  to  join  the 
Army  of  the  Union." 

Streight  to  Garfield  : 

"NASHVILLE,  April  9,  1863. 

SIR— Your  instructions  of  to-day  are  received,  among  which  are  the 
following:  *  *  * 

The  destruction  of  manufacturing  establishments  engaged  in  manu 
facturing  directly  for  the  use  of  the  rebel  army,  I  consider  a  duty  which 
I  would  have  no  right  to  leave  undone,  when  in  my  power,  even  in  the 
absence  of  any  instructions.  Every  cotton  mill,  tannery  or  other  manu 
facturing  establishment,  and  all  quantities  of  corn,  bacon,  salt,  or  other 
supplies  for  the  use  or  subsistence  of  an  army  within  rebel  lines,  is  indi 
rectly  supporting  the  enemy.  Now,  while  humanity  would  dictate  that 
such  necessaries  of  life  as  were  intended  only  for  immediate  family  use 
should  be  spared,  yet  it  is  clearly  my  opinion  that  all  large  quantities  of 
anything  necessary  for  the  use  of  an  army,  as  well  as  factories  producing 
such  articles,  should  be  destroyed,  whether  such  be  private  or  public- 
property.  I  think  I  fully  understand  the  course  you  desire  nie  to  pursue 
in  relation  to  this  matter;  nevertheless  I  would  prefer  you  send  me  writ 
ten  instructions. 

Second,  the  rebels  not  having  regular  uniforms,  would  it  be  violating 
the  rules  of  war,  should  I  see  fit  to  dress  any  number  of  men — say  two 
companies,  after  the  promiscuous  Southern  style?  Something  of  this 
kind  might  be  advantageous,  should  you  not  think  it  an  improper  course 
to  pursue." 

He  probably  got  a  strong  refusal  to  his  latter  proposi 
tion,  as  no  indication  appears,  neither  in  the  Official  War 
Records,  nor  in  the  conduct  of  the  expedition,  of  any  in 
dorsement  of  it.  His  last  communication  to  the  chief  of 
staff,  was  on  April  9  : 

"  We  can  start  within  three  hours  from  the  time  ot  receiving  orders, 
provided  Col.  Taylor  sends  the  paulins  in  time."  *  * 

As  soon  as  possible,  all  hands  were  at  work  to  supply 
the  command  with  the  necessary  clothing,  ordnance  and 
equipments  for  an  expedition  of  this  kind  ;  and  on  the  10th 
Col.  Streight  received  orders  from  Gen.  Garfield,  to  embark 


THE    RAID    TO    ROME.  119 

at  once  on  steamers  then  at  the  landing,  and  proceed  down 
the  river  to  Palmyra ;  land  there ,  and  march  across  to  Fort 
Henry  ;  and  to  seize  all  the  horses  and  mules  found  in  the 
country.  Everything  was  speedily  put  on  board,  although 
it  was  late  in  the  evening  before  the  mules  were  brought  to 
the  landing  for  shipment. 

As  soon  as  everything  was  ready,  the  command  started 
for  Palmyra ;  where  they  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the 
llth,  and  disembarked  at  once.  Colonel  Streight  sent  the 
fleet,  consisting  of  eight  steamers,  around  to  Fort  Henry, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Lawson,  3d  Ohio,  and  gave 
him  four  companies  from  the  Fifty-First,  as  guard.  He 
had  orders  to  stop  at  Smithland,  and  take  on  a  quantity  of 
rations  and  forage  for  Gen.  Dodge's  command. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light  next  morning,  all  hands  were 
set  at  work  to  catch  and  saddle  the  mules.  It  was  then 
discovered  for  the  first  time,  that  the  mules  were  nothing 
but  poor,  wild  and  unbroken  colts,  many  of  them  but  two 
years  old,  and  that  a  large  number  of  them  had  distemper. 
Forty  or  fifty  of  the  lot  were  too  near  dead  to  travel,  and 
had  to  be  left  at  the  landing.  Ten  or  twelve  died  before 
starting;  and  such  as  could  be  ridden  at  all,  were  so  wild 
and  unmanageable,  that  it  took  the  boys  all  that  day  and 
part  of  the  next  to  catch  and  break  them  ;  but  in  the  mean 
time  parties  were  sent  out  to  gather  in  horses  and  mules  ; 
and  had  succeeded  in  getting  about  150  very  good  animals, 
though  mostly  barefooted. 

On  the  13th,  the  command  left  Palmyra,  and  marched 
about  15  miles  in  a  southwesterly  direction,  and  camped 
on  Yellow  Creek.  The  scouting  parties  did  not  succeed  in 
finding  many  horses  or  mules.  The  people  had  got  warn 
ing  of  the  movement,  and  the  stock  was  mostly  run  off. 

Early  next  morning,  the  march  was  resumed,  and  the 
command  arrived  at  Fort  Henry  about  noon  on  the  15th. 
They  had  scoured  the  country  as  far  south  as  it  was  safe, 
on  account  of  the  proximity  of  a  large  force  of  the  enemy, 


120  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

under  Woodward  ;  and  although  about  100  of  the  mules 
gave  out  and  had  to  be  left  behind  on  the  inarch ,  yet  when 
they  reached  Fort  Henry,  the  animals  numbered  about 
1,250.  Those  collected  in  the  country,  were  mostly  in  fair 
condition,  but  were  nearly  all  barefooted.  Contrary  to  ex 
pectations,  the  boats  had  not  arrived  ;  nor  did  they  reach 
there  until  the  evening  of  the  16th  ;  having  been  delayed 
in  getting  the  rations  and  forage  above  referred  to. 

Gen.  Ellet's  marine  brigade  and  two  gunboats  accom 
panied  the  fleet  to  Fort  Henry  ;  with  orders  to  proceed  as 
far  as  Eastport,  Miss.  Gen.  Ellet  assumed  command  of 
the  fleet,  and  the  command  embarked  as  soon  as  possible  ; 
but  the  pilots  delared  that,  at  the  existing  low  stage  of  the 
river,  it  would  be  unsafe  to  run  at  night ;  hence,  they  did 
not  start  until  the  morning  of  the  17th  ;  reaching  Eastport 
on  the  afternoon  of  the  19th. 

Streight  to  Dodge  : 

f  "HDQUS.  PROVISIONAL  BRIGADE, 
\  Savannah,  Tenn.,  April  18,  1863. 

I  will  move  up  the  river  at  daylight  to-morrow  morning.  We 
have  130,000  rations  on  board  for  yon.  Will  halt  at  Hamburg,  for  mes 
senger  for  you,  and  if  I  do  not  hear  from  you  there,  I  will  proceed  to 
Eastport,  where  I  shall  endeavor  to  open  communication  with  you. 
Ellet's  Marine  Briga'de  and  four  gunboats  are  with  us." 

Streight  to  Mrs.  Streight  : 

"April  18,  1863. 

Steamer  Hazel  Bell,  Tennessee  Fleet,  40  miles  above  Pittsburg  Land 
ing.  I  am  in  command  of  a  fleet  of  some  20  boats,  including  several 
gunboats,  also  a  large  force  of  infantry,  cavalry  and  artillery.  I  am 
entering  into  a  most  difficult  and  dangerous  service.  My  command  is 
curious  to  know  where  we  are  going.  The  general  has  trusted  to  my 
hands  a  very  important  command.  I  hope  I  will  not  disappoint  him." 

Immediately  on  arrival  at  Eastport,  Colonel  Streight 
left  Col.  Lawson  in  command,  with  orders  to  disembark, 
and  prepare  to  march;  while  he  went  to  see  Gen.  Dodge, 
who  with  his  command,  some  8,000  strong,  was  awaiting 
his  arrival  twelve  miles  up  Bear  River.  After  an  interview 
with  Gen.  Dodge,  the  colonel  returned  to  Eastport  about 


THE    RAID    TO    ROME.  121 

midnight,  to  discover  that  a  stampede  had  occurred  among 
the  animals,  and  that  some  of  them  had  escaped. 

Daylight  next  morning  revealed  the  fact  that  nearly 
400  of  the  best  animals  were  gone.  All  that  day  and  part 
of  the  next  was  spent  in  scouring  the  country  to  recover 
them,  but  only  200  of  them  could  be  found.  The  rest  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  rebels. 

The  loss  of  these  animals  was  a  heavy  blow  ;  for  in 
addition  to  detaining  the  command  at  Eastport  to  hunt  the 
stock,  it  caused  still  further  delay  at  Tuscumbia,  to  supply 
their  places.  Quite  a  number  of  the  mules  drawn  at  Nash 
ville,  had  to  be  left  at  Eastport,  on  account  of  distemper. 
Several  died  next  day. 

Gen.  Hurlburt  to  Gen.  Halleck : 

"MEMPHIS,  April  20,  1863—3  p.  M. 

The  enemy  at  Tuscumbia  has  been  largely  reinforced  by  infantry. 
Delay  in  Streight's  coming  compelled  Dodge  to  attack.  He  did  so,  and 
drove  them  from  Bear  Creek  to  Caney  Creek,  with  heavy  loss.  Our  loss 
100  and  one  piece  of  artillery,  that  was  disabled,  but  saved.  Streight  is 
now  in  Eastport,  in  communication  with  Dodge  and  the  gunboats.  I 
reinforced  Dodge  to-day  with  2,000  men,  and  with  instructions  that,  if 
he  finds  the  enemy  too  strong  to  be  dislodged  from  Tuscumbia,  Streight 
should  proceed  in  rear  of  Dodge,  by  Tupelo,  and  then  across  the  country. 
I  sent  cavalry  on  Friday,  to  cut  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad  below  Tu 
pelo,  and  also  to  push  down  to  the  Jackson  and  Vicksburg  Railroad,  and 
cut  that.  I  recommend  a  strong  demonstration  on  the  enemy's  left,  to 
relieve  the  movement  on  Tuscumbia.  Col,  Streight  did  not 

come  up  until  four  days  after  the  time  agreed  upon  for  the  movement  to 
commence." 

Oglesby  to  Hurlburt : 

"CORINTH,  April  21,  1863— 12  M. 
Dodge  will  move  Wednesday  morning,  to  strike  the 
enemy  at  Tuscumbia  on  Friday.     Streight  is  to  move  on  this  night,  to 
go  to  his  work,  if  Dodge  will  not  require  his  support.     Dodge  will  nave 
to  remain  there  two  weeks,  to  cover  Streight's  operations." 

Dodge  to  Oglesby  : 

"TUSCUMBIA,  April  24,  1863—11  :20  p.  M. 

I  have  taken  this  place,  without  any  severe  fighting.  The  enemy 
steadily  opposed  our  advance.  It  was  a  pretty  little  fight.  I  shall  go 
forward  in  the  morning,  and  help  Streight  in  his  movement  all  I  can. 


122  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

They  ran  cars  in  here  two  days  ago,  and  repaired  the  railroad.  *  I 
think  the  entire  force  ahead  does  not  exceed  5,000  men.  *  I  shall 
take  Florence  to-day.  Our  advance  Creates  great  consternation.  They 
are  in  full  belief  that  this  is  a  flank  movement  on  Johnson,  and  so  in 
formed  him.  I  do  not  dispute  it,  and  will  make  him  back  out  if  possible." 

Colonel  Streight  to  Mrs.  Streight  : 

"TuscuMBiA,  ALA.,  April  26,  1863. 

Leave  here  to-morrow  morning  at  1  o'clock  for  parts  unknown.  My 
whole  command  is  now  mounted,  excepting  about  200  men,  which  I 
hope  to  be  able  to  mount  to-morrow.  #  I  am  confident  of  success, 
but  may  fail;  in  which  case  I  may  be  taken  prisoner;  but  I  trust  all  will 
come  out  right.  If  I  succeed,  it  will  aid  our  cause  more  than  everything 
that  has  heretofore  been  done  by  our  entire  army." 

Streight  to  Gar  field  : 

"TUSCUMBIA,  ALA.,  April  26,  1863. 

After  numerous  difficulties  and  delays,  I  am  at  last  supplied  with 
animals  to  mount  all  but  200  of  my  command.  I  have  met  with  a  great 
drawback  on  account  of  mules  drawn  at  Nashville  being  such  poor  ones. 
I  shall  start  at  1  o'clock  to-morrow  morning  for  Ilussellville,  and  from 
thence  to  Moulton,  and  find  what  facts  I  can  gather  relative  to  the  con 
dition  of  things  on  the  route.  I  have  strong  hopes  of  procuring  the 
necessary  animals  to  supply  me.  I  wrote  you  fully  from  Eastport,  and 
sent  it  by  Capt.  Fitch,  commanding  the  gunboats.  I  learn  since,  how 
ever,  that  he  is  still  there.  Gen.  Dodge  has  let  me  have  nearly  400 
animals,  and  has  done  everything  in  his  power  to  aid  me;  but  the  people 
throughout  the  country  here  run  off  most  of  their  horses  and  mules. 
This,  with  the  worthlessness  of  those  brought  from  Nashville,  together 
with  what  Col.  Lawson  lost  in  the  stampede  in  my  absence,  as  referred 
to  in  my  last,  has  put  me  to  my  trumps;  nevertheless  I  am  very  hopeful 
and  confident  of  success.  I  shall  push  on  as  fast  as  possible,  and  rest  as 
sured  that  nothing  shall  be  left  undone  on  my  part  to  insure  success; 
though  there  is  something  of  a  force  between  here  and  Deeatur,  variously 
estimated  from  1,500  to  4,000  men.  I  hope  to  get  two  or  three  days  the 
start  of  them  ;  and  should  they  chase  me  too  fast,  I  will  turn  upon  them 
and  give  them  battle  in  the  mountains.  Col.  Hathaway  joined  us  on 
Friday  last.  He  will  be  of  great  help  to  me.  *  * 

Gen.  Sweeny  to   Col.  Morton,  Comdg .  3d  Brigade: 

/  ( '  HDQRS.  KIGHT  WING, 
I  Town  Creek,  Ala,,  April  27,  1863. 

All  inquiries  of  the  inhabitants  will  be  answered  with  the  idea 
that  the  column  is  falling  back  on  Tuscumbia  for  reinforcements,  and 
great  pains  taken  to  impress  them  with  that  idea;  the  object  being  to 
mislead  them  as  to  our  intentions.  Keep  them  employed  with  watching 


THE    RAID    TO    ROMP:.  123 

this  column,  in  order  to  give  time  to  Col.  Streight's  command  to  reach 
the  mountains." 

The  "Provisional  Brigade"  left  East-port  on  the  after 
noon  of  April  21,  and  reached  Gen.  Dodge's  headquarters 
the  following  morning  about  8  o'clock.  From  there  they 
proceeded  in  rear  of  Gen.  Dodge's  forces,  which  were  con 
tinually  skirmishing  with  the  rebels  as  they  advanced,  as 
far  as  Tuscumbia  ;  scouring  the  country  to  the  river  on  the 
left,  and  to  the  mountains  on  the  right,  and  collected  all 
the  horses  and  mules  that  could  be  found. 

The  command  arrived  at  Tuscumbia  about  5  P.  M.,  on 
April  24.  Here  Gen.  Dodge  supplied  our  men  with  about 
200  mules  and  six  wagons  ;  the  latter  to  haul  ammunition 
and  rations.  The  surgeon  was  directed  to  carefully  exam 
ine  the  command  ;  and  all  who  were  not  fit  for  the  arduous 
trip,  were  sent  with  Gen.  Dodge  to  Corinth,  and  afterward 
to  Chattanooga.  This  reduced  the  command  to  1,500. 

General  Dodge  was  positive  that  Forrest  had  crossed 
the  Tennessee  River,  and  was  then  in  the  vicinity  of  Town 
Creek;  and  he  agreed  to  advance  as  far  as  Courtland,  on 
the  Decatur  road,  and  if  possible  drive  him  in  that  direc 
tion  ;  but  to  pursue  him,  if  he  turned  off  toward  Moulton. 

With  this  understanding,  our  command  inarched  from 
Tuscumbia  at  11  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  26th,  in  the 
direction  of  Moulton,  by  way  of  Russellville .  It  was  rain 
ing  very  hard,  and  the  mud  and  darkness  combined  made 
progress  difficult  and  slow.  One  hundred  and  fifty  men 
had  neither  horses  nor  mules,  and  those  of  fully  as  many 
more  were  unable  to  carry  more  than  their  saddles  ;  hence 
at  least  300  men  were  on  foot. 

It  was  expected  that  the  greater  portion  of  our  force 
would  reach  Moulton,  some  forty  miles  distant,  by  the  next 
night ;  but,  owing  to  the  heavy  rains,  and  consequent  bad 
condition  of  the  roads,  it  was  impossible.  It  was  therefore 
determined  to  halt  at  Mount  Hope,  and  wait  for  those  on 
foot  to  come  up.  Accordingly,  the  first  night  after  leaving 


124  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Tuscumbia,  the  entire  mounted  force  bivouacked  at  Mount 
Hope,  a  village  in  Lawrence  county,  Ala.,  having  made  a 
march  of  34  miles,  over  mountainous  and  almost  impass 
able  roads.  Col.  Straight  took  up  his  quarters  at  the  house 
of  a  wealthy  old  rebel;  whose  daughter,  however,  claimed 
to  be  loyal,  and  did  all  in  her  power  for  the  comfort  of  her 
guests.  She  so  thoroughly  impressed  the  colonel,  that  he 
ordered  the  quartermaster  to  pay  her  for  a  fine  horse  taken 
by  one  of  the  boys  on  foot. 

They  were  continually  scouring  the  country  for  horses 
and  mules  ;  but  so  many  of  those  drawn  at  Nashville  were 
failing,  that,  although  successful  in  collecting  very  many, 
still  a  large  number  were  without  anything  to  ride. 

On  the  night  of  the  27th,  at  Mount  Hope,  word  came 
from  General  Dodge  that  he  had  driven  the  enemy  ;  and  he 
directed  our  command  to  push  on.  Our  boys  had  not  all 
come  up  yet ;  nor  did  they  until  about  10  A.  M.,  next  day  ; 
when  the  command  proceeded  to  Moulton,  the  county  seat, 
where  they  arrived  about  dark.  Up  to  this  time  they  had 
skirmished  occasionally  with  small  squads  of  guerrillas, 
but  could  hear  of  no  force  of  any  consequence  in  that  part 
of  country.  All  of  the  command  but  about  fifty  were  now 
mounted. 

The  advance  consisted  of  Captain  Smith's  two  compa 
nies  of  cavalry,  who  charged  into  the  town  about  sunset, 
putting  to  flight  and  capturing  a  small  company  of  Roddy's 
command.  In  the  jail  many  loyal  citizens  had  been  con 
fined  for  defending  the  old  flag.  Many  of  these  had  been 
friends  and  neighbors  of  Captain  Smith's  command,  who 
themselves  were  refugees  from  Southern  intolerance  and 
malignity.  It  was  with  difficulty,  therefore,  that  they  were 
prevented  from  tearing  to  the  ground  the  building,  whose 
damp  walls  and  filthy  cells  had  confined  their  dear  ones  so 
long,  for  no  other  cause  than  their  fidelity  to  the  principles 
on  which  our  Union  is  based,  and  for  which  we  were  then 
fighting. 


THE    RAID    TO    ROME. 


125 


The  Provisional  Brigade  left  Moulton  in  the  direction 
of  Mouiitsville,  by  way  of  Day's  Gap,  about  midnight  on 
April  28.  The  two  previous  days  it  had  rained  most  of  the 
time,  and  the  roads  were  terrible  ;  though  on  the  evening 
of  the  28th  it  bade  fair  for  dry  weather  ;  which  gave  great 
hope  for  better  times.  The  command  marched  on  the  29th 
to  Day's  Gap,  about  35  miles,  where  they  bivouacked  for 
the  night.  Everyman  was  now  mounted  ;  and  although 
many  of  the  animals  were  very  poor,  they  had  no  doubt  of 
being  able  to  supply  all  future  demands.  During  the  day 
a  large  number  of  wagons,  belonging  to  the  rebels,  and 
filled  with  provisions,  arms,  tents,  etc.,  that  had  been  sent 
to  the  mountains,  to  avoid  capture,  were  destroyed.  Our 
command  was  now  in  the  midst  of  devoted  Union  people. 
Many  of  Captain  Smith's  men  were  recruited  near  here, 
and  many  were  the  happy  greetings  between  them  and 
their  friends. 

Nothing  could  be  learned  of  the  enemy,  save  of  small 
parties  who  were  hunting  conscripts.  Thus  far,  progress 
toward  the  prime  object  of  the  expedition  had  been  slow  ; 
the  foot  soldiers  merely  keeping  along  with  the  mounted 
force,  that  was  scouring  the  country  for  horses.  Now,  that 
enough  had  been  secured,  the  command  was  ready  to  push 
forward  the  next  morning  with  rapidity.  But,  alas!  the 
golden  opportunity  had  passed  ;  and  many  brave  souls  who 
responded  to  the  call  on  that  lovely  last  day  of  April,  were 
never  to  see  the  dawn  of  another  day. 

Our  command  moved  out  next  morning  before  day 
light.  The  men  had  been  worked  very  hard,  though,  in 
running  over  the  country  in  search  of  animals,  and  being 
unaccustomed  to  riding,  were  by  this  time  illy  prepared  for 
the  trying  ordeal  through  which  they  were  to  pass.  They 
had  not  proceeded  more  than  two  miles,  before  the  rear 
guard  was  attacked,  and  at  the  same  moment  the  boom  of 
artillery  was  heard  in  the  same  direction.  The  gap  which 
our  force  had  entered  was  easily  flanked  by  other  passes  in 


126  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  mountains,  both  above  and  below.  Orders,  therefore, 
were  sent  to  the  rear  to  hold  the  enemy  in  check  until  our 
command  could  prepare  for  action.  The  head  of  the  col 
umn  was  on  the  top  of  the  mountain  ;  the  column  moving 
through  the  gap.  So,  the  enemy  was  easily  held  in  check. 

The  rebels  had  moved  through  the  gaps  on  the  right 
and  left  of  our  command,  and  were  endeavoring  to  form  a 
junction  in  advance  ;  our  forces  therefore  pushed  ahead  as 
rapidly  as  possible,  till  they  passed  the  roads  intersecting 
on  either  flank.  It  was  Colonel  Streight's  intention  to 
avoid  an  engagement,  if  possible  ;  as  the  ultimate  object  of 
the  expedition  was  of  such  vastly  greater  importance,  than 
a  victory  here  could  possibly  be.  But  the  rebels  continued 
to  press  so  closely,  throwing  heavy  shot  and  shell  into  the 
Union  ranks,  that  a  battle  was  unavoidable.  The  country 
was  composed  of  open  sand  ridges,  thinly  wooded,  afford 
ing  fine  defensive  positions.  As  soon  as  our  command  had 
passed  the  intersection  mentioned — about  three  miles  from 
the  top  of  the  mountain,  they  dismounted  and  formed  a 
line  of  battle  on  a  ridge  circling  to  the  rear.  Their  right 
rested  on  the  summit  of  a  precipitous  ravine,  and  the  left 
was  protected  by  a  marshy  run  that  was  easily  held  against 
the  enemy.  The  mules  were  sent  into  a  ravine  to  the  rear, 
where  they  were  protected  from  the  enemy's  bullets  Also, 
a  line  of  skirmishers  deployed  on  the  right  and  left  flanks, 
encircling  the  rear,  in  order  to  prevent  surprise  from  any 
detached  force  that  might  approach  from  that  direction, 
and  also  to  prevent  straggling  either  of  animals  or  men. 

In  the  meantime,  Captain  Smith,  who  had  command 
of  the  rear  guard, — now  changed  to  the  front,  held  his  po 
sition  until  the  enemy  pressed  him  closely,  when  he  drew 
them  to  our  lines,  concealed  immediately  back  of  the  top 
of  the  ridge.  The  lines  were  left  sufficiently  open  to  allow 
Capt.  Smith's  command  to  pass  through  near  the  center. 
Two  12-pound  mountain  howitzers  were  stationed  near  the 
road,  concealed.  Scarcely  had  our  men  completed  their 


127 

arrangements,  when  the  rebels  charged  Captain  Smith,  in 
large  force,  following  closely  ;  when,  as  soon  as  he  passed 
through  our  lines,  the  whole  brigade  arose  and  delivered  a 
terrific  volley  at  short  range.  Our  men  continued  to  pour 
a  rapid  fire  into  the  rebel  ranks  ;  which  caused  them  to 
give  way  in  confusion.  Their  reinforcements  coming  up, 
they  dismounted,  formed,  and  made  a  persistent  charge. 
Our  skirmishers  were  soon  driven  in  ;  and  about  the  same 
time  the  enemy  opened  with  a  battery  of  artillery. 

The  rebels  soon  attempted  to  carry  the  Union  lines  ; 
but  were  handsomely  repulsed.  During  their  advance,  the 
rebels  had  run  their  artillery  to  within  300  yards  of  our 
lines,  and  as  soon  as  they  began  to  waver,  our  men  pre 
pared  for  a  charge.  The  73d  and  51st  Indiana,  on  the  left, 
charged  first,  in  order  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  battery  ; 
then  immediately  the  3d  Ohio  and  80th  Illinois  advanced 
rapidly,  hoping  to  capture  the  battery.  The  enemy,  after 
a  short  but  stubborn  resistance,  fled  in  confusion  ;  leaving 
two  pieces  of  artillery,  two  caissons,  about  forty  prisoners, 
representing  seven  different  regiments,  a  large  number  of 
wounded,  and  about  thirty  dead  upon  the  field.  Among 
the  former  was  a  brother  of  the  guerrilla  leader,  Forrest. 
Our  loss  was  about  thirty  killed  and  wounded  ;  among  the 
latter  Lieut  .-Col.  Sheets,  of  the  Fifty-First,  who  died  June 
21,  and  Lieutenant  Pavey,  of  the  80th  Illinois. 

Our  command  remained  on  the  field  some  time,  antici 
pating  another  attack  ;  as  the  enemy  being  strengthened 
by  an  additional  brigade,  felt  confident  of  making  an  easy 
prey  of  the  devoted  little  Union  army.  It  was  now  about 
11  o'clock,  fighting  having  continued  since  6  o'clock  in  the 
morning;  the  enemy  was  in  heavy  force,  fully  three  times 
our  number,  with  twelve  pieces  of  artillery,  under  the  per 
sonal  command  of  the  guerrilla  chief,  Forrest.  They  were 
making  an  effort  to  get  around  the  Union  troops,  to  attack 
them  in  the  rear  ;  hence  it  was  decided  to  hasten  forward. 
Everything  was  shortly  in  readiness  ;  and  the  Provisional 


128  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Brigade  moved  out,  leaving  a  strong  guard,  dismounted, 
in  the  rear,  to  check  any  immediate  advance  the  rebels 
might  make  while  the  column  was  getting  in  motion.  The 
column  had  marched  only  about  six  miles,  when  Forrest's 
guerrillas  were  seen  advancing  on  the  left.  At  Crooked 
Creek,  which  is  about  ten  miles  south  of  Day's  Gap,  sharp 
skirmishing  began,  the  rebels  pressing  so  closely,  that  our 
command  was  again  compelled  to  prepare  for  battle.  A 
strong  position  was  selected,  on  a  ridge  called  Hog  Moun 
tain,  about  one  mile  south  of  the  crossing  of  the  creek. 
The  entire  force  soon  became  engaged.  It  was  about  one 
hour  before  dark.  The  rebels  tried  first  to  carry  the  right 
of  our  column  ;  then  they  charged  the  left ;  but  with  the 
aid  of  the  two  pieces  of  artillery  captured  in  the  morning, 
and  the  two  howitzers,  all  of  which  were  handled  with  fine 
effect  by  Major  Vananda,  of  the  3d  Ohio,  the  enemy  was 
handsomely  repulsed. 

The  fighting  continued  until  10  p.  M.,  when  the  rebels 
were  driven  from  our  front ;  leaving  a  large  number  on  the 
field,  of  killed  and  wounded.  Colonel  Streight  ordered  the 
brigade  to  at  once  resume  the  march  ;  and  the  movement 
was  made  as  quickly  as  possible.  By  this  time  the  ammu 
nition  captured  with  the  two  guns,  was  exhausted;  and 
being  very  short  of  horses,  our  men  spiked  the  guns  and 
destroyed  the  carriages.  The  73d  Indiana,  Colonel  Hath 
away,  was  detailed  to  act  as  rear  guard  ;  and  the  command 
had  gotten  fairly  under  way,  when  information  came  that 
the  rebels  were  again  advancing. 

The  best  provision  was  made  for  those  our  command 
was  compelled  to  leave  here  in  a  field  hospital,  in  charge  of 
Ast.  Surg.  Wm.  Spencer,  of  the  73d  Indiana,  who  was  fur 
nished  with  such  comforts  as  the  equipment  afforded  ;  but 
no  sooner  did  the  vandals  come  up  to  our  hospital,  than 
they  robbed  both  officers  and  men  of  their  blankets,  coats, 
hats,  boots,  shoes,  rations  and  money  ;  and  subjected  them 
to  the  most  brutal  and  humiliating  indignities.  Not  only 


REBEL    VANDALISM.  129 

was  the  bread,  meat,  sugar  and  cotfee  taken,  but  even  the 
medical  stores  and  instruments  were  carried  off;  leaving 
our  poor  wounded  boys  in  a  half  naked  and  starving  con 
dition.  Even  combs,  pocket-knives  and  other  articles  of 
use  were  forced  from  the  helpless  sufferers  by  those  gallant 
and  chivalrous  representatives  of  that  most  phenomenal 
"uprising  of  the  people,"  whose  souls  had  been  fed  on  the 
fallacious  conceit  that  one  of  their  half-caste  soldiers  was 
equal  to  five  Northern  pure-blooded  freemen.  They  were, 
in  villainy.  In  consequence  of  such  brutality,  many  laid 
there  and  suffered  horrible  agony  from  undressed  wounds 
and  starvation,  until  death  put  an  end  to  their  misery; 
who,  by  a  little  kind  treatment,  might  have  recovered  in  a 
short  time.  The  loyal  citizens  would  have  gladly  afforded 
all  the  comfort  and  relief  in  their  power  ;  but  the  brutal 
rebel  guard  would  not  allow  the  poor  sufferers  to  receive  a 
cup  of  milk  even,  nor  a  piece  of  bread,  from. that  source. 
The  ingenious  tact  of  woman  occasionally  was  too  much 
for  the  vigilance  of  the  rebel  sentinel ;  and  some  of  our 
boys  were  the  grateful  recipients  of  some  kind  favor,  or  of 
some  article  of  food  smuggled  to  them.  The  loyal  citizens 
were  also  subjected  to  gross  indignity  and  inhuman  treat 
ment.  Mrs.  Perm,  a  widow  residing  in  that  vicinity,  who 
had  two  sons  in  Captain  Smith's  company,  seemed  to  be  a 
special  object  of  their  fiendish  barbarity.  She  and  her 
daughters  were  robbed  of  everything,  even  their  clothing  ; 
and  they  were  driven  from  home,  their  house  was  sacked, 
outhouses  burned,  and  mules  turned  in  on  growing  crops. 
Proceeding  from  Day's  Gap  several  miles,  without  fur 
ther  evidence  of  pursuit,  about  4  o'clock  in  the  evening 
the  rear  of  the  Provisional  Brigade  was  again  attacked  ;  yet 
to  avoid  losing  time ,  the  column  was  kept  in  motion  ;  skir 
mishing,  however,  all  the  time.  Captain  Smith's  handful 
of  cavalry  kept  the  guerrillas  at  bay  for  over  two  hours  ; 
but  they  were  pressing  so  closely,  that  Colonel  Streight  at 
length  resolved  to  halt  and  give  them  battle. 


130  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

The  moon  shone  very  brightly  ;  and  the  country  being 
an  open  woodland,  with  an  occasional  spot  of  thick  under 
growth,  afforded  great  advantages  for  ambushing.  In  one 
of  these  thickets  the  73d  Indiana  laid  down,  not  more  than 
twenty  paces  from  the  road,  which  was  in  plain  view.  The 
rebels  came  on.  The  head  of  their  column  passed  without 
discovering  the  position  of  our  men.  At  that  moment  the 
entire  regiment  opened  a  most  destructive  fire,  causing  a 
complete  stampede  of  the  guerrilla  horde.  They  rallied, 
however,  and  soon  a  bloody  strife  raged  with  all  the  fury 
of  desperate  and  determined  foes.  Charge  after  charge  was 
made  by  the  enemy,  and  was  as  often  splendidly  repulsed 
by  our  brave  boys,  who  drove  them  back  with  most  terrible 
destruction.  The  clash  was  terrific  ;  the  flashes  from  rifles 
and  artillery  lighting  up  the  hillsides,  rendering  the  scene 
of  carnage  one  of  grandest  sublimity.  It  was  now  about 
10  o'clock  ;  and  the  hearts  of  our  comrades  were  cheered 
by  seeing  the  enemy  waver  and  fall  back  ;  unable  to  con 
tend  longer  against  the  terrible  fire  our  men  were  pouring 
into  their  ranks.  Our  command  was  not  again  disturbed 
until  it  had  gone  several  miles,  when  the  rebels  again  came 
upon  the  rear  guard,  attacking  it  vigorously.  Again  they 
were  ambuscaded  ;  which  caused  them  to  give  up  the  chase 
for  the  night. 

So  far,  the  Provisional  Brigade  had  been  victorious  ; 
though  they  had  lost  some  brave  and  valuable  men.  The 
enemy  had  engaged  his  entire  force  ;  yet  by  bravery  and 
skill,  our  forces  had  repulsed  them  at  every  point.  Our 
artillery  consisted  of  only  two  small  howitzers  ;  the  pieces 
taken  from  Forrest's  men  the  morning  before,  having  been 
spiked  and  cut  down. 

The  country  from  Day's  Gap  to  Blountsville,  about  40 
miles,  being  mostly  uninhabited,  there  was  nothing  upon 
which  to  subsist  man  nor  beast.  Colonel  Streight  hoped, 
by  pushing  ahead,  to  reach  a  place  where  they  could  feed 
before  the  enemy  came  up,  and  by  holding  him  back  where 


AT    BLOUNTSVILLE    AND    GADSDEN.  131 

there  was  no  feed,  compel  him  to  lay  over  a  day  at  least  to 
recuperate.  The  rebels  had  been  on  a  forced  march  from 
Town  Creek,  Ala.,  a  day  and  two  nights  previous  to  their 
attacking  our  men. 

Doctors  Peck  and  King  were  active  in  collecting  and 
caring  for  the  wounded.  Before  this  was  accomplished, 
however,  the  command  was  in  motion.  In  fact,  a  rebel 
regiment  had  already  formed  and  started  in  pursuit ;  and 
our  surgeons  had  to  pass  along  the  entire  length  of  that 
guerrilla  regiment.  After  our  doctors  had  passed  the  head 
of  the  rebel  column,  it  dawned  011  the  johnnies  that  they 
were  Yanks  ;  and  instantly  half  a  dozen  started  in  pursuit 
of  them,  yelling  at  the  top  of  their  voices.  Dr.  Peck  got 
away;  but  they  soon  overtook  King,  whom  they  made  a 
prisoner . 

The  march  was  continued  ;  and  about  10  o'clock  in  the 
morning  Blountsville  was  reached.  Many  of  the  mules 
had  given  out,  leaving  their  riders  on  foot ;  yet  there  was 
very  little  straggling  behind  the  rear  guard. 

At  Blountsville  our  command  found  sufficient  corn  to 
feed  the  tired  and  hungry  animals.  Ammunition  and  ra 
tions  were  hastily  distributed  to  the  men,  the  remaining 
ammunition  put  on  pack  mules,  and  the  wagons  burned  ; 
as  it  was  now  very  plain  to  all,  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  take  them  further.  After  resting  here  about  two  hours, 
the  march  was  resumed,  in  the  direction  of  Gadsden.  The 
column  had  not  gotten  fairly  under  motion  again,  before 
our  pickets  were  driven  in,  and  a  sharp  skirmish  ensued, 
between  Forrest's  advance  and  our  rear  guard  under  Capt. 
Smith,  in  the  town  of  Blountsville.  The  enemy  followed 
closely  for  several  miles,  continually  skirmishing  with  our 
rear  guard  ;  but  were  very  badly  handled  by  small  parties 
of  our  men,  stopping  in  the  thick  bushes  at  the  side  of  the 
road,  and  firing  at  them  at  short  range.  When  our  men 
reached  the  east  fork  of  Black  "Warrior  River,  the  ford  was 
very  deep  ;  and  the  enemy  pressed  them  so  closely,  that 


132  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

they  were  compelled  to  halt  and  stand  a  fight,  before  they 
could  cross.  After  some  maneuvering,  a  heavy  skirmish 
line  was  advanced,  who  drove  the  enemy  quite  out  of  sight 
of  our  main  line  ;  when  the  troops,  except  the  skirmishers, 
crossed  the  river  as  rapidly  as  possible.  The  skirmishers 
were  then  quickly  withdrawn  under  cover  of  the  howitzers, 
and  a  heavy  line  of  skirmishers  thrown  out  on  the  opposite 
bank  for  that  purpose.  It  was  about  5  p.  M.  when  the  last 
of  the  command  crossed  the  stream  ;  and  they  pushed  on 
toward  Gadsden,  without  further  interruption,  except  by 
small  parties,  who  were  continually  harassing  the  rear  of 
the  column,  until  about  9  o'clock  next  morning,  May  2,  at 
which  hour  the  rear  guard  was  furiously  attacked  at  the 
crossing  of  Black  Creek,  near  Gadsden.  After  a  short  but 
sharp  fight,  the  rebels  were  repulsed.  The  bridge  was  then 
burned  ;  and  it  was  thought  this  would  delay  Forrest  long 
enough  to  enable  the  Provisional  Brigade  to  reach  Rome, 
before  the  guerrillas  could  again  overtake  them  ;  as  the 
stream  was  very  deep  and  unfordable  at  that  point.  But 
among  a  lot  of  prisoners  captured  by  our  men  that  morn 
ing,  was  one  named  Sansom,  a  low-browed  brute  ;  who,  in 
common  with  others,  as  was  the  custom,  was  immediately 
paroled;  and  who,  as  soon  as  he  was  set  at  liberty,  made 
his  way  direct  to  Forrest,  and  piloted  him  to  a  ford,  where 
the  whole  rebel  force  soon  crossed.  Sansom,  the  perjured 
scoundrel,  was  with  Forrest,  when  our  command  surren 
dered  ;  and  notwithstanding  his  oath  of  parole,  was  fully 
armed  and  equipped  ;  and  boasted  that  it  was  a  bullet  from 
his  gun  that  killed  Col.  Hathaway,  of  the  73d  Indiana. 

Our  scouts  reported  that  a  large  column  of  the  enemy 
was  moving  on  the  left,  and  parallel  with  the  route  of  our 
forces,  evidently  with  the  intention  of  getting  in  front.  It 
became  necessary ,  therefore ,  for  our  command  to  march  all 
night ;  though  neither  men  nor  animals  were  in  a  condition 
to  do  so  ;  and  to  add  still  more  to  their  embarrassment,  a 
portion  -of  the  ammunition  had  been  damaged  in  crossing 


BATTLE    OF    BLOUNT's    FARM.  133 

Will's  Creek,  which  at  that  time  was  very  deep  fording. 
Our  command  remained  at  Gadsden  only  long  enough  to 
destroy  a  quantity  of  arms  and  commissary  stores  found 
there,  and  proceeded.  Many  of  the  animals  and  mei^  were 
entirely  worn  out ;  and  unable  to  keep  up  with  the  column, 
gradually  they  fell  behind  the  rear  guard,  and  were  taken 
prisoners . 

It  now  became  evident  to  Colonel  Streight,  that  if  he 
would  save  his  command,  his  only  hope  was  in  crossing  at 
Rome,  and  destroying  the  bridge  over  the  Coosa  River  ;  as 
that  would  delay  Forrest  a  clay  or  two,  and  give  our  men  a 
chance  to  rest  and  to  collect  horses  and  mules,  without 
which  it  was  impossible  to  proceed . 

The  rebels  followed  closely,  and  kept  up  a  continuous 
skirmish  with  the  rear  of  the  column,  until  about  4  P.  M., 
at  which  time  our  command  reached  Blount's  farm,  about 
fifteen  miles  from  Gadsden,  where  it  was  designed  to  obtain 
forage  for  the  animals.  It  was  impossible  to  continue  the 
march  through  the  night ,  without  feeding  and  resting ; 
although  to  do  so,  was  to  bring  on  a  general  engagement. 
Accordingly,  the  command  was  dismounted,  and  a  detail 
was  made  to  feed  the  horses  and  mules  ;  while  the  balance 
of  the  command  formed  in  line  of  battle  on  a  ridge  south 
west  of  the  farm. 

Meanwhile,  the  rear  guard,  in  holding  the  enemy  in 
check,  had  become  seriously  engaged,  and  was  driven  in. 
The  enemy  at  once  attacked  our  main  line,  and  tried  hard 
to  carry  the  center,  but  was  gallantly  repulsed  by  the  51st 
and  73d  Indiana,  assisted  by  Major  Vaiianda,  with  the  two 
howitzers.  The  rebels  then  made  a  determined  effort  to 
turn  the  right  of  our  line,  but  were  met  by  the  brave  boys 
of  the  80th  Illinois,  assisted  by  two  companies  of  the  3d 
Ohio.  This  action  lasted  nearly  three  hours;  the  rebels 
charging  from  right  to  left  repeatedly  ;  but  so  determinedly 
did  every  part  of  our  noble  brigade  maintain  its  position, 
that  the  enemv  recoiled  in  greatest  confusion  ;  our  boys 


134  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

pouring  a  perfect  hail-storm  of  lead  into  their  retreating 
columns.  Our  heroes  won  the  day,  by  their  indomitable 
courage  and  desperate  fighting. 

The  enemy,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  skirmishers, 
then, fell  back  to  a  ridge  half  a  mile  distant,  and  appeared 
to  mass  his  force,  as  if  preparing  for  a  more  determined 
attack.  It  was  becoming  dark  ;  and  Colonel  Streight  con 
cluded  to  withdraw  unobserved,  if  possible,  and  conceal 
the  command  in  a  thicket  half  a  mile  away  ;  there  to  lie  in 
ambush,  and  await  the  enemy's  advance.  In  the  mean 
time,  Captain  Milton  Russell,  of  the  Fifty-First,  was  sent 
forward  with  200  of  the  best  mounted  men,  selected  from 
the  whole  command,  and  directed  to  proceed  to  Rome,  and 
hold  the  bridge  until  the  main  force  could  come  up. 

The  engagement  at  Blount's  Farm,  which  was  hence 
forward  to  possess  special  historic  interest,  revealed  the 
alarming  fact  that  about  all  of  the  remaining  ammunition 
was  worthless,  on  account  of  having  been  wet.  Much  of 
that  carried  by  the  men  also,  had  become  useless,  by  the 
paper  wearing  out  and  the  powder  sifting  away. 

It  was  in  this  engagement  also,  that  the  gallant  Col. 
Gilbert  Hathaway,  of  the  73d  Indiana,  fell  with  a  mortal 
wound,  and  in  a  few  minutes  expired.  The  Union  army 
possessed  no  braver  nor  more  valuable  officer  than  he.  To 
our  devoted  brigade,  his  loss  was  irreparable.  His  men 
almost  worshiped  him  ;  and  when  he  fell,  it  cast  a  heavy 
gloom  of  despondency  over  his  entire  regiment,  that  was 
difficult  to  overcome.  Those  of  them  who  yet  remain,  will 
remember  how  cheering  and  inspiring  was  his  presence  in 
their  midst ;  how  his  coolness  steadied  them ,  amid  greatest 
excitement;  and  his  voice  of  encouragement,  was  a  herald 
of  victory.  His  character  so  frank  and  open  ;  his  bearing 
so  modest,  and  so  full  of  simplicity,  conciliated  and  capti 
vated  all  hearts,  and  made  every  one  who  knew  him  his 
devoted  friend. 

Charles  McWilliams  and  George  Bilheimer,  of  Co.  C, 


SO    NEAR,  AND    YET    SO     FAR.  135 

were  detailed  immediately  after  the  Stone  River  fight,  in 
the  8th  Indiana  Battery.  When  the  Fifty-First  started  on 
the  Raid,  Me  Williams  was  returned  to  the  regiment,  and 
was  given  a  position  under  Major  Vananda,  in  charge  of 
the  battery.  In  this  battle,  he  had  his  head  shot  off  by  a 
rebel  cannon  ball,  while  faithfully  performing  his  duty. 

Affairs  were  now  rapidly  approaching  a  crisis.  Every 
one  felt  that  the  next  twenty-four  hours  would  decide  the 
fate  of  the  provisional  expedition.  The  brigade  was  now 
within  sixty  miles  of  Rome,  where  it  was  designed  to  cross 
the  Coosa  River ;  and  if  they  could  reach  there  before  the 
rebels  could  intercept  them,  complete  success  was  assured. 
Once  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  the  bridge  de 
stroyed,  Forrest  would  be  effectually  beaten.  Much  wTas, 
therefore,  hoped  for  from  Captain  Russell's  demonstration. 

The  Provisional  Brigade  had  been  in  ambush  but  a 
short  time,  when  the  enemy,  who  by  some  means  had  been 
informed  of  their  whereabouts,  commenced  a  flank  move 
ment,  which  was  discovered  just  in  time  to  check.  It  was 
then  decided  to  withdraw  as  silently  as  possible,  and  push 
on  in  the  direction  of  Rome.  As  a  large  number  of  men 
wrere  dismounted,  their  animals  having  given  out,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  stock  was  so  jaded,  tender-footed  and  run 
down,  their  progress  was  very  slow  ;  yet,  as  everything  was 
depending  on  their  reaching  Rome,  before  the  rebels  could 
throw  a  force  sufficient  to  prevent  our  brigade  crossing  the 
bridge,  every  possible  effort  was  made  to  urge  the  column 
forward.  They  proceeded  without  interruption,  until  they 
reached  the  vicinity  of  Center,  when  a  scout  brought  the 
intelligence  that  a  force  of  the  enemy  was  in  ambush  but  a 
short  distance  ahead.  Immediately  a  line  of  skirmishers 
was  advanced,  with  orders  to  proceed  until  fired  upon,  and 
then  to  open  a  brisk  fire  on  the  enemy,  and  hold  their  post 
till  the  command  had  time  to  pass.  The  plan  worked  ad 
mirably  ;  for,  while  the  skirmishers  engaged  the  enemy, 
the  main  column  made  a  detour  to  the  right,  and  struck 


136  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  road  three  miles  further  on.  As  soon  as  the  main  force 
had  passed,  the  skirmishers  withdrew,  and  fell  in  the  rear 
of  the  column.  They  were  then  hopeful  that  they  could 
reach  Rome  before  the  enemy  could  again  overtake  them. 
Colonel  Straight 's  principal  guide  had  thus  far  proved  all 
right ;  and  he  assured  the  commander  that  there  were  no 
difficult  streams  to  cross,  and  that  the  road  was  good  ;  the 
command  therefore  approached  the  Chattooga  River  at  the 
ferry,  without  any  information  as  to  the  real  condition  of 
things.  Captain  Russell  had  managed  to  ferry  the  last  of 
his  command  across  about  an  hour  before  ;  but  the  rebels 
had  seized  and  taken  the  boat  away  before  the  main  force 
could  reach  there. 

It  was  then  ascertained  that  there  was  a  bridge,  seven 
or  eight  miles  up  the  river,  near  Gaylesville  ;  and  securing 
new  guides,  the  command  pushed  on  as  rapidly  as  possible 
in  order  to  reach  the  bridge,  before  the  enemy  should  take 
possession  of  it.  In  doing  this,  our  men  had  to  pass  over 
an  old  coal  chopping  for  several  miles,  where  the  trees  had 
been  cut  and  hauled  off  for  charcoal ;  leaving  innumerable 
wagon  roads  in  every  direction.  The  men  were  so  nearly 
worn  out  and  exhausted,  that  many  were  asleep;  and  in 
spite  of  all  that  could  be  done  to  prevent  it,  the  command 
got  separated,  and  scattered  in  different  directions.  It  was 
nearly  daylight,  when  the  last  of  the  command  had  crossed 
the  river.  As  soon  as  the  brigade  had  crossed,  the  bridge 
was  burned,  and  the  iron  works  at  Gaylesville,  where  the 
rebels  were  manufacturing  munitions  of  war,  was  also  de 
stroyed.  The  illumination  was  magnificent.  Time  now 
was  precious  ;  and  the  brigade  hastened  toward  Rome.  It 
was  evident,  however,  that  they  could  never  reach  there, 
without  halting  to  rest  and  feed  the  Animals.  Large  num 
bers  of  the  mules  were  continually  giving  out ;  in  fact,  it  is 
probable  that  not  a  score  remained,  of  the  mules  that  were 
drawn  at  Nashville  ;  while  nearly  all  of  those  collected  in 
the  country,  were  barefooted,  and  many  of  them  had  such 


IN    THE    TOILS.  137 

sore  backs  and  tender  feet,  that  it  was  impossible  to  ride 
them.  In  order,  though,  to  get  as  near  as  possible  to  the 
force  that  had  been  sent  ahead,  they  struggled  on  until  9 
A.  M.,  when  they  halted  and  fed  the  animals.  The  men, 
being  unaccustomed  to  riding,  had  become  so  completely 
fagged  out,  and  had  lost  so  much  sleep,  that  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  keep  them  awake  long  enough  to  feed. 

In  the  meantime  the  vanguard,  under  Capt.  Russell, 
arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  Rome,  about  8  o'clock  the  next 
morning  after  the  battle  of  Blount's  Farm  ;  having  ridden 
their  badly  jaded  horses  all  night.  By  this  time  the  town 
was  full  of  armed  men.  Forrest  had  dispatched  a  citizen 
of  Gadsden  to  inform  them  of  the  approach  of  our  men  ; 
and  a  large  number  of  troops  had  been  hurried  there  from 
Atlanta,  Kingston  and  Daltoii ;  besides,  the  citizens  were 
put  under  arms,  and  several  pieces  of  artillery  had  been 
placed  in  position.  The  floor  of  the  bridge  was  torn  up, 
and  piled  with  straw  saturated  with  turpentine,  ready  to 
ignite  at  a  signal. 

The  Provisional  Brigade  had  halted  but  a  short  time, 
when  word  came  that  a  heavy  force  of  rebels  was  moving 
011  their  left,  on  a  parallel  route  ;  and  were  then  nearer  to 
Rome  than  our  men  were.  About  the  same  time  our  pick 
ets  were  driven  in.  The  command  was  immediately  called 
into  line,  and  a  strong  effort  was  made  to  rally  the  men  for 
action  ;  but  nature  was  exhausted,  and  a  large  portion  of 
them  actually  went  to  sleep  while  in  line  of  battle,  under 
a  severe  skirmish  fire.  After  some  maneuvering,  Forrest 
sent  in  a  flag  of  truce,  with  a  demand  for  the  surrender  of 
our  troops.  The  regimental  commanders  had  expressed  a 
conviction  already,  that  unless  our  force  could  reach  Rome 
and  cross  the  river,  before  the  enemy  came  up  with  them 
again,  they  would  be  compelled  to  surrender.  A  council  of 
war  was  called,  and  the  condition  fully  canvassed.  It  was 
learned  meanwhile,  that  Captain  Russell  had  been  unable 
to  take  the  bridge  at  Rome.  The  ammunition  was  ruined, 


138  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

horses  and  mules  exhausted,  men  overcome  with  fatigue 
and  loss  of  sleep  ;  and,  confronted  with  at  least  three  times 
their  numbers,  in  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  country,  the 
situation  seemed  so  utterly  hopeless,  that  it  was  decided  to 
surrender  on  the  following  terms  : 

1.  Each  regiment  to  be  permitted   to  retain  its  colors. 

'2.  The  officers  to  retain  their  side-arms. 

3.  Both  officers  and  men  to  retain  their  haversacks, 
knapsacks  and  blankets  ;  and  all  private  property  to  be  re 
spected,  and  retained  by  the  owner. 

These  terms  were  fairly  and  fully  agreed  to  by  Forrest  ; 
and  our  brigade  stacked  arms,  and  were  prisoners  of  war. 
The  surrender  occurred  at  noon,  Sunday,  May  3,  1863. 

OPERATIONS    ELSEWHERE. 

At  the  same  time  operations  were  going  on  elsewhere, 
which  indicated  the  unusual  importance  that  was  attached 
to  this  expedition  ;  yet  how  little  was  really  known  of  its 
wonderful  character  and  experiences. 


Dodyc  to 

"  May  3,  1863. 

Finding  it  impossible  to  obtain  stock  to  mount 

Col.  Streight's  command,  I  took  horses  and  mules  from  aiy  teams  and 
mounted  infantry,  and  furnished  him  some  600  head,  mounting  all  but 
200  of  his  men.  I  also  turned  over  all  my  hard  bread,  some  10,000  ra 
tions,  and  he  left  me  at  midnight  on  the  26th  ult,  with  the  intention  of 
going  through  Russellville,  Moulton  and  Blountsville,  to  Gadsden,  then 
divide,  one  force  to  strike  Rome,  and  the  other  Etowah  Bridge. 
That  night  I  communicated  with  Col.  Streight,  and  ascertained  that  he 
was  all  right. 

Col.  Btreight  reached  Moulton  Tuesday  night,  and  commenced  cross 
ing  the  mountains  Wednesday,  having  got  nearly  two  days  start  of  them. 
They  supposed  he  was  nfuking  for  Decatur,  and  only  discovered  Wednes 
day  that  he  was  crossing  the  mountains  toward  Georgia.  I  have 

no  doubt  he  would  have  succeeded,  had  he  been  properly  equipped,  and 
joined  me  at  the  time  agreed  upon.  The  great  delay  in  an  enemy's 
country  necessary  to  fit  him  out,  gave  them  time  to  throw  a  large  force 
in  our  front.  Although  Col.  Streight  had  two  days  start,  they  can  harass 
him.  If  he  could  have  started  from  Bear  Creek  the  day  I  arrived 

there,  my  movements  would  have  been  so  quick  and  strong,  that  the  en- 


OPERATIONS    ELSEWHERE. 

emy  could  not  have  got  their  forces  together.  The  animals  furnished 
him  were  very  poor  at  the  start.  Four  hundred  of  them  were  used  up 
before  leaving  me,  and  those  furnished  him  by  me,  were  about  all  the 
serviceable  stock  he  had,  though  I  hear  he  got  200  good  mules  the  day  he 
left  me,  in  Moulton  Valley." 

Oglesby  to  Hurlbnrt : 

''JACKSON,  TFNN,,  May  3,  1863. 
Col.  Straight  left  Tuscumbia  Sunday  night,  26th  ; 

moved  to  Mt.  Hope  on  Monday,  and  to  Moulton  on  Tuesday.  He  was 
supplied  with  very  poor  animals;  400  of  them  broke  down  between  Pal 
myra,  on  the  Cumberland  River,  and  Tuscumbia.  With  those  Dodge 
turned  over  to  him,  he  had  1,600  on  leaving  Moulton,  Tuesday  night, 
April  28.  At  that  time  no  enemy  was  after  him,  as  Dodge  had  engaged 
them  up  to  that  time.  Roddy  and  Forrest  then  heard  of  Straight's  move 
ment,  and  supposing  it  a  flank  attack  on  Decatur,  instantly  fell  back  to 
that  place.  Straight  thus  had  two  days  start,  but  his  men  were  so  badly 
mounted,  he  would  have  to  lose  some  time  to  pick  up  200  animals  at 
Moulton.  From  there  he  proposed  to  go  by  the  way  of  Blountsville,  and 
strike  the  Coosa  River.  Dodge  supplied  him  with  rations  to  last  him  to 
Coosa  Valley,  where  it  is  supposed  he  can  help  himself." 

Hurlburt  to  Rosecrans  : 

il  MEMPHIS,  May  5,  1863—1  p.  M. 
The  following  is  just  received  from  Dodge  : 

'  The  rebels  came  up  with  Straight,  between  Moulton  arid  Blounts 
ville,  eight  miles  south  of  Somerville.  Straight  ambushed  and  whipped 
them  badly.  The  rebels  sent  word  from  Decatur  to  Chattanooga  that 
Straight  was  making  for  that  place.  Forrest  and  Roddy  are  on  his  track. 
I  think  Straight  is  far  in  advance  of  them.  I  will  keep  free  south  of  Cor 
inth,  to  enable  Straight  to  get  back.'  " 

Rebel  A.  A,  G.  to  Pegram,  Comdg .  Cavalry  Brigade  : 

"KNOXVILLE,  May  4,  1863, 

A  cavalry  force  of  the  enemy,  estimated  at  4,000,  has  moved  from 
Corinth,  Miss.,  across  Northern  Alabama,  and  on  the  2d,  destroyed  the 
depot  at  Gadsden,  Ala.,  and  was  threatening  Rome,  Ga.  Gen.  Forrest 
was  pursuing  them,  and  it  is  thought  that  they  may  endeavor  to  return 
through  East  Tennessee,  to  their  own  lines.  [Rebel  Gen.  Maury, 

commanding  Knoxville,  was  warned  to  intercept  them.] 

From  Rebel  Gen.  Bragg 's  Report: 

"  TULLAHOMA,  May  5,  1863. 

Forrest,  falling  back  on  the  28th,  discovered  a  heavy  force  of 
cavalry  under  Col.  Straight,  marching  on  Moulton  and  Blountsville. 
Gen.  Forrest  pursued  this  force  with  two  regiments,  fighting  him  all  day 
and  night  at  Driver's  Gap,  at  Sand  Mountain,  with  a  loss  of  5  killed  and 


140  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

50  wounded.  The  enemy  left  on  the  field  50  killed  and  150 

wounded;  burned  50  of  his  wagons;  turned  loose  250  mules  and  150  ne 
groes,  and  pursued  his  way  toward  Blountsville,  Gadsden  and  Rome,  Ga. 
On  May  3,  between  Gadsden  and  Rome,  after  five  days  and  nights  of 
fighting  and  marching,  Gen.  Forrest  captured  Col.  Straight  and  his 
whole  command,  about  1,600,  with  rifles,  horses,  &c." 

Hurlburt  to  Rosecrans : 

May  6,  1863. 

Dodge  reports  by  letter  to  me  that  Col.  Straight  left  Tuscumbia  on 
Sunday  night,  26th  ;  If  his  animals  hold  out  he 

will  succeed,  as  the  enemy  cannot  follow  him  fast,  the  mountains  being 
between  them.  All  things  being  favorable,  he  has  done  his  work  by  this 
time.  Grierson,  with  his  regiments  of  cavalry,  has  destroyed  the  rail 
road  east  and  south  of  Jackson,  and  gone  into  Gideon,  the  enemy  having 
gathered  near  Okolona,  to  intercept  his  return.  I  have  sent,  two  days 
ago,  five  regiments  to  break  them  up,  and  draw  attention  frojn  Straight." 

Rebel  Bragg  to  Cooper,  A.I.  G.: 

"TULLAHOMA,  May  7,  1863. 

Between  Rome  and  Gadsden,  a  party  of  1,600  of  the  Federal  army 
surrendered  to  Gen.  N.  B.  Forrest,  after  several  days'  fighting,  in  one  of 
which  he  forced  them  to  burn  their  wagons,  and  turn  loose  a  large  num 
ber  of  negroes.  Shall  I  send  them  as  prisoners  of  war  to  Richmond,  or 
deliver  them  to  the  Governor  of  Alabama?" 

Reply  of  Cooper : 

"  RICHMOND,  May  8,  1863. 

The  slaves  captured  by  Gen.  Forrest  should  be  sent  for  safe-keeping, 
with  sufficient  guard,  to  the  nearest  camp  of  instruction." 


''RICHMOND,  May  13,  1863. 
Send  at  once  to  this  city,  all  captured  officers  and  men." 

PRISONERS    OF    WAR. 

Let  us  now  go  back  to  where  we  left  our  unfortunate 
command,  in  the  hands  of  heartless,  jubilant  victors. 

Notwithstanding  Forrest's  most  sacred  promise,  made 
in  the  terms  of  surrender,  no  sooner  were  our  troops  turned 
over  to  the  rebel  authorities,  than  a  system  of  robbing  was 
instituted,  which  soon  relieved  our  boys  of  everything  of 
any  value  in  their  possession.  Blankets,  knapsacks,  hav 
ersacks  ,  overcoats ,  money ,  side-arms ,  colors  and  everything 


(Prisoner's  name.) 


INCIDENTS    OF    THE    RAID.  141 

followed  each  other  as  fast  as  the  brutal  guards  came  to 
them.  The  following  is  a  specimen  of  the  paroles  issued 
to  each  prisoner : 

PRISONER'S   PAROLE. 

I? of  Co of  the 

United  States  Army,  captured  by  BRIG.  GEN.  FORREST,  solemnly  swear 
before  Aim ight3r  God,  the  Sovereign  Judge,  that  I  will  not  bear  arms 
against  the  Confederate  States  Government,  nor  help,  aid  or  assist,  either 
directly  or  indirectly,  any  person  or  persons,  in  making  war  against  the 
same,  until  regularly  exchanged  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  and  that  I  will  not, 
at  any  time,  communicate  to  any  person,  information  received  within 
the  Confederate  lines,  detrimental  to  the  same. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  to  before  meat    } 

A.  Inspr.  Genl. 

The  next  day  the  command  was  marched  under  guard 
to  Rome.  The  citizens  were  delighted  to  see  the  boys,  and 
thronged  the  streets  to  greet  them.  The  prisoners  stayed 
in  the  town  till  Tuesday  morning,  May  5,  under  orders  of 
Forrest ;  enduring  every  insult  that  such  a  low,  ignorant, 
unprincipled,  ill-born  people  only  could  invent.  The  vile 
creatures  crowded  around  the  cars,  the  women  flaunting 
themselves  in  the  most  indecent  manner  ;  and  all  boasting 
of  the  superior  chivalry  of  the  South. 

INCIDENTS    OF    THE    RAID. 

Many  humorous  incidents  of  the  raid,  as  well  as  sad 
ones,  are  revived.  Sergeant  Win.  P.  McClure,  of  Co.  H, 
drew  a  most  obstreperous  mule,  that  had  an  ugly  habit  of 
"tilting  up  behind,"  and  by  a  simultaneous  and  dextrous 
movement  to  the  right  or  left,  would  land  his  luckless  rider 
on  his  head.  Nobody  therefore  would  risk  his  neck  on  the 
beast ;  so ,  to  utilize  him ,  half  a  dozen  camp-kettles  were 
strapped  on  the  saddle,  and  he  was  turned  loose.  He  made 
the  grand  rounds  of  the  camp  at  lightning  speed  ;  then , 
thrusting  his  head  into  a  brush-heap,  he  laid  down  and 


142  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

brayed  in  a  most  mournful  way.  The  kettles  were  taken 
off,  and  two  boxes  of  cartridges  (1,000  rounds  in  each,) 
were  substituted.  With  these  he  started  off  on  the  march 
all  right ;  but  it  rained  that  day,  and  the  mule  slipped  off 
of  the  road,  and  was  precipitated  to  the  bottom  of  a  deep 
gulley,  heels  up,  where  he  died  in  a  short  time. 

While  the  command  camped  at  Buzzard  Roost,  Will 
Jordan  and  Caleb  Smith,  of  Co.  A,  went  across  the  railroad 
after  night,  for  water.  Clambering  clown  the  steep  bank 
of  the  stream,  Jordan  took  hold  of  a  bush,  to  steady  him 
self  Avhile  lie  filled  his  bucket.  The  bush  pulling  out  by 
the  roots,  he  was  thrown  into  the  stream,  which  was  very 
deep,  and  lie  would  have  drowned,  had  not  Caleb  fortu 
nately  found  a  pole  and  reached  down  to  him. 

One  day  "Mother"  Richeson  and  Alex.  Ward,  of  Co. 
G,  got  into  an  altercation,  and  kept  it  up  until  the  other 
boys  prevailed  on  Captain  Wallick  to  make  them  step  out 
in  front  of  the  company,  and  "have  it  out."  On  the  Cap 
tain's  invitation,  they  both  stepped  promptly  to  the  front, 
and,  with  their  haversacks  and  accouterments  on,  went  at 
it  like  tigers,  till  they  had  it  out.  From  that  moment  no 
one  ever  heard  a  word  from  either  of  them.  When  they 
arrived  at  Columbus,  after  they  were  paroled,  a  number  of 
the  boys,  including  our  two  heroes,  took  a  "French  fur 
lough"  and  started  for  home  in  advance  of  the  rest.  After 
two  or  three  days  one  of  them  took  sick,  and  had  to  be  left 
with  a  farmer  ;  the  rest  proceeding  on  their  way .  When 
they  had  traveled  two  or  three  miles,  discussing  tljeir  sick 
comrade  on  the  way,  they  concluded  they  had  not  done 
right  to  desert  him  ;  but  no  one  was  willing  to  go  back,  till 
the  former  enemy  declared  he  could  not  go  home  and  leave 
him.  So  he  went  back;  and  after  three  wreeks'  nursing, 
the  sick  comrade  was  restored,  and  the  two  went  to  their 
Indiana  home  together.  They  were  ever  after  close  friends. 

One  of  the  sad  incidents  of  the  fight  at  Day's  Gap,  was 
the  wounding  of  Wm.  Jelf,  of  Co.  C.  After  the  first  fire, 


INCIDENTS    OF    THE    RAID.  143 

the  command  arose  to  make  a  charge,  when  the  rebels  fired 
again,  and  he  fell.  At  the  same  moment,  Lt.-Col.  Sheets 
and  another  man  fell,  immediately  behind  him  ;  and  all 
were  supposed  to  be  mortally  wounded.  Calling  John  P. 
Smith  to  him,  Jelf  delivered  to  him  a  silver  watch,  with  a 
small  chain  attached,  with  a  request  that  if  he  got  through 
safely,  he  would  take  them  to  his  mother.  As  John  P.  an 
ticipated  search  and  robbery  by  the  rebels,  in  case  they 
were  captured,  he  tore  the  chain  loose,  throwing  it  away, 
and  concealed  the  watch  011  his  person.  Soon  afterward, 
securing  a  pone  of  corn  bread,  about  the  size  of  his  hand, 
he  carefully  cut  out  a  circular  piece  of  the  top  crust,  then 
removed  just  enough  of  the  inside  to  receive  the  watch,  re 
placed  the  disc  of  crust,  and  on  examination,  after  capture, 
so  innocently  exposed  the  corn  pone,  as  to  entirely  elude 
discovery  ;  and  so  he  carried  that  watch  through  all  the 
vicissitudes  of  subsequent  imprisonment  and  exchange,  to 
Jelf's  home  yi  Indiana,  where  he  delivered  it  in  good  con 
dition,  to  Jelfs  mother.  Charles  Cox,  who  was  among  the 
last  who  saw  Jelf,  gave  him  a  canteen  of  water,  and  left 
him  with  the  citizens  to  die.  Jelf  recovered  slowly;  and 
when  John  P.  returned  to  camp  at  Indianapolis,  he  was 
almost  the  first  person  he  met. 

"For  God's  sake!  Will,"  said  John  P.,  "go  to  your 
mother  as  soon  as  you  can.  I  have  just  been  to  see  her, 
and  I  told  her  you  was  dead  ! ' ' 

Jelf  hastened  home  ;  and  the  meeting  was  to  his  grief- 
stricken  mother,  as  though  he  had  been  raised  from  the 
grave  ;  rejoicing  her  crushed  heart  beyond  measure. 

When  Captain  Russell's  advance  guard  came  to  the 
Chattahoochee  River,  his  guide  and  Corporal  Gibson,  of 
Co.  A,  started  in  to  ford  or  swim  their  animals  across  the 
stream.  The  guide  reached  the  other  shore  all  right;  but 
Gibson's  horse  would  not  go  forward,  after  his  hind  feet 
touched  bottom .  It  began  turning  round  and  round  ;  and 
Gibson  slipped  off,  to  let  it  raise  and  get  out.  But  being 


144  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

weighted  down  with  his  accouterments,  gun,  overcoat  and 
heavy  boots,  lie  could  not  swim  himself,  but  was  pulled 
under,  and  began  a  struggle  for  life.  Captain  Anderson, 
who  was  second  in  command,  saw  Corporal  Gibson's  peril, 
and  springing  from  his  horse,  rushed  onto  the  old  scow  at 
the  ferry,  and  with  the  aid  of  the  young  man  in  charge, 
pushed  off  toward  where  the  unfortunate  comrade  had  gone 
down.  Placing  himself  at  the  forward  part  of  the  scow,  the 
captain  watched  for  the  reappearing  of  the  corporal ;  when 
plunging  his  arm  full  length  into  the  water,  he  succeeded 
in  catching  the  drowning  man  by  the  hair,  raising  him  out 
and  taking  him  to  shore.  The  boy  was  hastened  off  to  the 
nearest  point  for  brandy,  while  the  corporal  was  rolled  on 
the  bank.  He  was  then  rubbed  vigorously  for  an  hour  and 
a  half,  when  he  was  again  able  to  ride.  By  this  time  the 
detachment  had  all  been  ferried  over,  and  they  moved  on. 
But  for  Captain  Anderson's  prompt  action,  Comrade  Gib 
son  would  certainly  have  been  lost. 

STARTING    FOR    RICHMOND. 

All  are  agreed  as  to  the  barbarity  of  the  rebel  authori 
ties,  and  the  inhuman  treatment  by  the  citizens  of  Rome, 
and  other  places  through  which  our  men  had  to  pass  ;  the 
jeers  and  taunts  of  women,  who  spit  on  them,  and  offered 
such  indignities  as  only  degraded  females  of  the  viler  sort 
would  be  guilty  of .  And  Forrest's  fiends  felt  "perfectly 
at  home"  there. 

After  paroles  were  presented  to  the  men,  in  accordance 
with  the  stipulation  of  surrender,  every  one  was  searched 
for  valuables .  A,  number  of  gold  and  silver  watches  were 
taken,  and  a  large  amount  of  money.  The  commissioned 
officers  were  not  searched  so  closely,  but  their  swords  were 
taken,  and  most  of  their  money. 

Hospital  Steward  Smith  was  ordered  to  accompany  54 
sick  and  wounded  of  the  brigade,  in  the  custody  of  Dr. 
Curd,  the  Medical  Director  of  Georgia,  to  Richmond  ;  and 


STARTING    FOR    RICHMOND.  145 

Peter  Phillippe,  of  Co.  E,  was  detailed  to  assist  him.  All 
of  these  were  sent  to  Libby,  and  confined  there  until  they 
were  exchanged. 

The  command  was  first  taken  to  Atlanta ;  where  they 
remained  two  days.  By  the  time  they  arrived  there,  they 
had  been  prisoners  three  days  and  nights,  yet  had  received 
nothing  to  eat.  On.  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day,  quarter 
rations  were  issued  for  three  days  ;  which  were  instantly 
devoured.  That  night  about  dark,  the  prisoners  boarded 
a  train  ;  and  at  daylight  next  morning  were  at  Knoxville, 
Tenn.  The  trip  thus  far  was  unmarked  by  any  event  of 
sufficient  importance  to  mention.  At  Itnoxville,  the  pris 
oners  changed  cars  and  guards  ;  and  a  most  fortunate  and 
merciful  change  it  was. 

A  detachment  of  the  54th  Virginia  rebel  regiment  was 
camped  near  the  railroad  ;  and  they  kindly  divided  their 
rations  with  our  starving  boys.  This  wras  a  most  gracious 
thing  for  them  to  do  ;  and  proved  that  even  out  of  Sodom 
some  good  might  come.  And  while  it  went  far  to  modify 
the  hardships  incident  to  this  journey,  it  also  united  the 
hearts  of  otherwise  enemies  by  an  inseparable  bond.  This 
band  of  hardy  and  big-hearted  mountaineers  was  detailed 
to  conduct  the  prisoners  from  Knoxville  to  Libby  and  Belle 
Isle.  They  saw  at  a  glance  the  wasted  condition  of  our 
poor  comrades,  from  fatigue  and  hunger  and  exposure  and 
outrage  ;  and  they  opened  their  big  hearts  and  their  haver 
sacks  ;  and  for  the  first  time  in  many  days  our  boys  enjoyed 
the  rare  pleasure  of  rest  and  plenty  of  food.  This  hearty 
and  unexampled  kindness  continued  till  the  prisoners  were 
delivered  to  the  rebel  authorities  at  Richmond. 

Before  taking  the  cars,  quarter  rations  were  issued  for 
two  days  ;  and  our  boys  received  no  more  till  they  arrived 
at  their  destination  ;  five  days.  At  points  along  the  route, 
ladies  presented  the  boys  with  bouquets  ;  and  at  Farmers- 
burg,  Va.,  the  guards  allowed  the  boys  to  go  into  the  negro 

quarters,  and  buy  food  ;   and   many  a   half-starved   soldier 
10 


146  FIFTY- FIRST     INDIANA     RK<JIMKXT. 

got  a  nice  corn  pone,  accompanied  by  a  hearty  "God  bless 
yon,  sah  !   wish  we-nns  end  feed  ye  all !" 

The  rare  treatment  by  the  54th  Virginia  boys  was  not 
forgotten;  and  when,  on  the  final  surrender  of  the  traitor 
Lee,  his  misled  and  dishonored  followers  came  to  us  up  in 
East  Tennessee,  the  54th  boys  were  received  with  genuine 
joy,  by  the  remnants  of  the  old  Provisional  Brigade,  and 
supplied  with  the  best  of  everything  the  camp  afforded. 

THE     LOSSES    COM  TARED. 

It  is  quite  impossible,  with  the  data  at  hand,  to  report 
the  exact  casualties  in  the  command  ;  but  from  the  best  in 
formation  obtainable,  there  were  15  officers  and  about  loO 
enlisted  men  killed  and  wounded.  It  was  a  matter  of  real 
astonishment  to  all,  that  so  much  fighting  should  occur, 
with  so  few  casualties  on  our  side  ;  but  our  command  acted 
purely  on  the  defensive,  and  took  advantage  of  the  nature 
of  the  country  as  much  as  possible.  From  actual  personal 
observation  made  by  Colonel  Streight  and  others,  when  the 
enemy  had  been  driven  from  the  field,  and  from  reports  of 
surgeons,  left  with  the  wounded,  there  is  no  doubt  that  our 
men  killed  more  rebels  than  we  lost  in  killed  and  wounded 
together. 

Previous  to  the  surrender,  our  command  had  captured 
and  paroled  about  200  prisoners  ;  and  had  lost  about  the 
same  number,  in  consequence  of  the  animals  giving  out, 
and  the  men  breaking  down  from  sheer  exhaustion,  falling 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  by  necessity.  But  in  no  case 
were  Forrest's  guerrillas  able  to  capture  a  single  man  in  a 
skirmish  or  battle. 

ARRIVAL    AT     RICHMOND. 

Arriving  at  Richmond,  the  officers  were  taken  to  the 
old  pork  house  of  Libby  &  Son,  that  was  used  by  the  rebels 
as  a  military  prison  ;  and  none  of  them  saw  their  men  any 
more  for  months  ;  in  some  cases  not  for  years. 

At   Belle  Isle,  a  few  old   rotten  tents  were  given  to  the 


AT    BKLLK     ISLE.  147 

boys,  and  quarter  rations  again  issued.  The  day's  allow 
ance  was  scarce  enough  for  one  meal.  The  lieutenant  in 
command  was  a  low,  vile,  drunken  wretch  ;  who  had  only 
abuse  for  his  captives. 

Belle  Isle  was  a  barren,  sandy  tract  of  land,  several 
acres  in  extent,  situated  in  James  River,  opposite  Rich 
mond,  Va.  The  prisoners  had  no  barracks  nor  shelter  of 
any  kind,  except  in  winter,  when  a  few  old  worthless  tents, 
too  ragged  to  keep  out  snow  or  rain,  were  furnished.  The 
prisoners  made  excavations  in  the  dry  sand  with  bones  and 
sticks,  or  with  their  fingers;  and  into  these  the  poor  fel 
lows  would  huddle  for  warmth.  Lost  to  all  sense  of  pride 
and  cleanliness,  energy  wasted,  minds  almost  gone,  they 
would  lay  for  days  together,  till  the  sand  worked  into  their 
skin.  They  had  been  already  robbed  of  their  hats,  shoes, 
coats,  pants  and  socks  ;  and  when  they  came  to  this  lousy 
island,  had  but  their  underwear  to  cover  their  nakedness. 
This  was  nothing,  howrever,  to  the  misery  occasioned  by 
their  want  of  food.  This  became  so  great  as  to  deprive  the 
men  of  their  reason  ;  and  many  a  poor  comrade  shared  the 
fate  of  Tilman  McDaiiiel,  of  Co.  C,  who  in  his  delirium, 
staggered  over  the  "dead-line,"  and  was  shot  down  by  the 
inhuman  rebel  guard. 

As  Sergeant  McClure,  Co.  H,  was  "counting  off"  his 
company  for  rations,  one  day,  he  became  dizzy  from  weak 
ness,  and  fell  to  the  ground  in  a  semi-conscious  state. 

"What's  the  matter?"  inquired  his  alarmed  comrades. 

"I'm  starving  to  death  !'' 

His  cousin,  Noah  P.  McClure,  Co.  E,  took  from  his 
waistband  a  $2  greenback  secreted  there,  and  purchased  a 
couple  of  small  loaves  of  bread.  In  a  few  hours  after  eat 
ing  some  of  this,  and  drinking  some  water,  he  was  able  to 
sit  up. 

Next  day  the  number  of  prisoners  was  increased  by  a 
great  many  from  the  llth  Corps,  and  the  misery  of  all  was 
correspondingly  augmented.  Quarter  rations  continued, 


148  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

and  the  severity  of  the  brutal  guards  became  more  intoler 
ant.     But  God  was  merciful  to  our  boys  ;  and  relief  came. 


In  a  few  days  an  order  came  for  the  removal  of  the  lot 
of  prisoners  to  which  our  boys  belonged,  to  City  Point,  35 
miles  distant,  for  exchange.  The  march  was  a  weary  one 
to  all ;  but  all  were  buoyed  by  anticipation  of  speedy  deliv 
erance.  The  first  night  they  bivouacked  within  ten  miles 
of  City  Point.  Next  day,  the  remainder  of  the  journey  was 
made  ;  and  the  hearts  of  our  delighted  boys  swelled  with  a 
sense  of  gratitude  and  unspeakable  joy,  as  they  beheld  the 
old  stars  and  stripes  floating  aloft . 

As  each  comrade  stepped  on  board  the  Federal  trans 
port,  he  wras  handed  coffee  and  bread  and  meat.  Soon  the 
happy  soldiers  were  sailing  down  James  River,  and  thence 
up  Chesapeake  Bay  to  Annapolis,  where  the  vessel  touched, 
and  then  proceeded  to  Baltimore  ;  where  the  boys  took  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  for  Columbus,  Ohio. 

There  was  evidently  a  mistake  made  at  Belle  Isle,  in 
selecting  our  boys  for  exchange  ;  and  the  government  ship 
did  not  leave  City  Point  a  moment  too  soon.  After  it  had 
gone  ten  miles,  a  small  steam-tug  came  splashing  along 
side,  and  signaled  the  vessel  to  stop.  A  rebel  officer,  with 
a  very  pompous  air,  sprang  on  board,  and  presented  a  dis 
patch  from  Jeff  Davis  to  the  master  of  the  ship,  ordering 
the  return  of  our  entire  command  to  Belle  Isle.  To  this 
the  captain  replied  : 

"These  men  are  in  my  charge  now;  and  I  am  not 
subject  to  Jeff  Davis'  orders  !" 

The  pompous  rebel  sprang  back  to  the  tug  ;  and  the 
ship  was  soon  beyond  recapture. 

At  Camp  Chase,  Columbus,  0.,  the  boys  drew  clothing, 
and  fixed  themselves  up  to  go  home.  Some  of  the  .Fifty- 
First  boys  were  too  impatient  to  wait  for  furloughs,  and 
started  in  advance.  They  had  one  or  two  days'  visit,  and 


THK     KM)    OK    THK     UAII>.  14V) 

returned  to  Indianapolis  before  the  regiment  arrived  there. 
The  command  finally  separated  at  Camp  Chase,  and  were; 
furloughed  from  their  State  capitals. 

At  the  expiration  of  their  furloughs,  the  Fifty-First 
boys  returned  to  Indianapolis,  where  they  were  employed 
for  some  time  in  guarding  rebel  prisoners  at  Camp  Morton, 
the  present  site  of  the  State  Fair  Ground. 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  give  any  further  account  than 
has  already  been  given,  of  those  who  were  wounded  on  the 
Raid.  Most  of  those  who  survived,  doubtless  made  their 
way  back  to  Tuscumbia,  and  remained  with  Dodge's  forces 
until  otherwise  disposed  of. 

Dodge  to  Rosecrans : 

"CORINTH,  May  17,  1863. 

Surgeon  Abbott,  of  the  80th  111.  Inf.,  has  arrived  here  with  some  of 
the  wounded  from  Tuscumbia.  The  wounded  I  left  there  were  badly 
treated,  and  one  Wm.  Cooper,  of  Roddy's  command,  shot  a  prisoner  by 
the  name  of  John  Chambers,  who  died  of  his  wound.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Alabama  cavalry,  and  had  just  been  discharged.  It  was  a  cold 
blooded  murder. 


150  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA     REGIMENT. 


IN    LIBHY    PRISON. 

The  officers  of  our  command  were,  as  lias  been  said, 
placed  in  Libby  Prison,  a  military  bastile  constructed  from 
an  old  pork  house  owned  by  a  man  named  Libby,  and  his 
son.  It  was  situated  but  a  few  yards  from  the  Lynchburg 
canal,  was  three  stories  high,  165  feet  front,  and  105  feet 
deep.  The  ground  floor  was  separated  into  several  apart 
ments,  one  being  the  prisoners'  hospital,  and  the  others 
used  by  the  commissary  department  and  the  officers  of  the 
prison.  The  upper  stories  were  each  divided  into  three 
rooms,  105  by  55  feet.  At  each  extremity  of  these  rooms 
were  five  windows,  heavily  bin-red.  In  the  cramped  limits 
of  these  six  rooms  1 ,100  Union  prisoners  were  confined  for 
many  months  ;  being  compelled  to  cook,  eat,  wash,  bathe 
and  sleep  in  this  narrow  space. 

Ten  thousand  stories  might  be  told,  of  the  varied  ex 
periences  of  these  men,  who  had  yielded  up  all  that  life 
and  home  and  earth  offered  to  them  of  happiness  ;  stories 
that  would  chill  one's  blood  with  horror,  and  again  would 
cause  it  to  boil  with  indignation,  at  the  inhuman  conduct  of 
the  rebel  authorities,  whose  fiendish  accomplishments  even 
eclipsed  the  cruel  barbarity  of  the  carboneri  of  Italy. 

As  the  4th  of  July  approached,  these  prisoners  began 
preparation  for  a  celebration.  How  to  obtain  a  flag  for  the 
occasion,  was  the  question  of  greatest  moment;  for  a  real 
Fourth  of  July  celebration,  without  the  stars  and  stripes, 
would  be  like  the  play  of  "Hamlet"  with  Hamlet  left  out. 
Finally,  a  Connecticut  officer,  observing  that  some  of  his 


SAWYER    AND     KM  NX.  151 

comrades  wore  reel  flannel,  and  others  white  cotton,  sug 
gested  that  each  contribute  a  strip  from  his  shirt,  while  a 
navy  ensign  should  furnish  the  blue  field  from  his  garment. 
It  was  adopted  with  great  applause.  Soon  a  respectable 
standard  was  constructed,  and  on  the  national  anniversary 
it  was  swung  from  a  beam  in  the  upper  west  room.  Col. 
Streight  was  selected  to  deliver  the  address  ;  and  he  took 
the  stand  beneath  the  flag,  and  began  his  speech,  when  a 
prison  official  made  his  appearance.  Catching  sight  of  the 
stars  and  stripes,  he  stopped  the  proceeding,  and  ordered 
that  "hateful  rag"  taken  down  ;  informing  them  also  that 
Fourth  of  July  celebrations  were  not  tolerated  in  that  part 
of  country.  No  one  obeying  his  order,  he  was  compelled 
to  mount  and  pull  down  the  flag  himself.  Tom  Turner, 
the  superintendent,  regarded  it  as  quite  a  trophy,  and  was 
very  curious  to  know  how  it  was  brought  there.  He  said 
he  was  going  to  present  it  to  one  of  his  lady  friends,  and 
wanted  its  full  history. 

SAWYER    AND    KM XX  . 

Early  in  June,  two  men,  claiming  to  be  Union  officers, 
and  wearing  the  uniform  of  a  colonel  and  major,  presented 
themselves  to  Col.  Baird,  commanding  the  post  of  Frank 
lin,  Tenii.,  and  stated  that  they  were  Colonel  Anton  and 
Major  Dunlap,  and  that  they  were  authorized,  by  an  order 
from  Adjt.-Gen.  Townsend,  at  Washington,  and  another 
from  Gen.  Rosecrans,  to  inspect  outposts.  Their  conduct 
excited  suspicion,  and  it  was  soon  concluded  that  they  were 
spies.  This  supposition  was  proved  to  be  correct,  as  upon 
inquiry  at  department  headquarters,  it  was  ascertained  that 
there  were  no  such  inspectors  in  the  national  service.  A 
drum-head  court-martial  was  at  once  ordered  by  (Jen.  Rose 
crans,  and  enough  evidence  was  adduced  to  convict  them. 
Their  object  was  to  gain  such  knowledge  of  the  post  as  to 
enable  Forrest  to  dash  in  and  capture  it.  Learning  that  a 
court-martial  was  ordered,  thev  weakened,  and  confessed 


'>  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    KEGIMKXT. 

that  they  were  Col.  Lawrence  A.  Williams  and  Lieutenant 
Dunlap,  of  the  rebel  army.  The  former  had  been  in  the 
army  of  the  United  States.  They  claimed  they  were  not 
spies,  but  the  proof  was  positive,  and  the  prisoners  were 
hung  June  9th,  in  accordance  with  the  following  order  : 

f  "HDQRS.  DEPT.  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND, 
\  Murfreesboro,  June  9—4:40  A.  M. 
CotouclJ.  P.  Baird,  Fran/din  : 

The  general  commanding  directs  that  the  two  spies, 

if  found  guilty,  he  hung  at  once,  thus  placing  beyond  the  possibility  of 
Forrest's  profiting  by  the  information  they  have  gained." 

FRANK  S.  BOND,  Major  and  Aid-de-Camp. 


"FRANKLIN,  June  {)— 10:80  A.  M. 
To  General  Garfteld,  Chief  of  Staff: 

The  men  have  been  tried,  found  guilty,  and  executed 
in  compliance-  with  your  order.  I  am,  ever  yours, 

J.  P.  BAIRD, 
Colonel  Commanding  Post. 

Tliis  summary  disposition  of  two  very  dangerous  rebel 
accessories,  fired  the  hearts  of  the  leaders  at  Richmond, 
and  determined  them  on  revenge.  And  their  method  was 
retaliation  of  the  most  unreasonable  and  cowardly  kind. 

Two  days  after  the  national  celebration  in  "Libby,'' 
that  was  so  suddenly  and  ungraciously  nipped  in  the  bud, 
July  6,  1863,  all  of  the  officers  of  the  rank  of  captain,  78 
in  number,  were  drawn  up  in  line  in  one  of  the  rooms,  and 
an  order  was  read  from  the  rebel  Gen.  Winder  to  Major 
Turner,  in  which  the  latter  was  directed  to  select  two  cap 
tains  of  the  United  States  army,  from  the  number  he  held 
in  confinement,  for  immediate  execution.  Some  reports 
have  tliis  order  for  execution  of  two  captains  in  retaliation 
for  the  execution  of  two  rebel  spies  by  order  of  Gen.  Burn- 
side,  in  Kentucky.  It  does  not  matter  which  story  is  true; 
in  this  relation.  The  information  fairly  electrified  those 
whose  fate  was  concerned.  When  they  first  got  into  line, 
they  stepped  out  gaily,  with  expectation  of  exchange  ;  but 
their  spirits  fell,  and  a  stern  resignation  took  the  place  of 


KLIXN     AND    SAWYKIS.  •>»'> 

hilarity,  and  a  brave  resolution  to  accept  whatever  might 
befall  them  in  the  glorious  cause  they  had  espoused,  lit  up 
every  countenance. 

On  a  small  table  in  the  center  of  the  semi-circle,  was 
placed  a  box  containing  the  names,  written  upon  separate 
slips.  At  one  side  stood  the  brutal  Turner,  at  the  other, 
the  white-haired  chaplain  of  the  9th  Maryland,  who  had 
been  designated  by  the  prisoners  to  draw  two  slips  from  the 
box ;  which  should  determine  who  were  doomed . 

Solemnly  the  chaplain  first  offered   prayer.     Then,   as 
each  stood  breathless,  one  was  drawn,  each  feeling  that  his 
life  depended  on  what  was  written  on  it.     It  read  : 
" Henry  W.  Sawyer,  1st  New  Jersey  Cavalry." 
All  eyes  turned   toward   him,  and  a  slight  commotion 
ensued,  but  not  a  sound   was   heard.     Again  the  old  chap 
lain  thrust  his  hand  into  the  box.     All  was  silent  as  death. 
Then  again  he  read  : 

"Captain  John  Flinn,  51st  Indiana  Infantry." 
The  ceremony  ended,  the  doomed  men  were  conducted 
to  Winder's  headquarters  for  an  interview  with  him.  He 
shamefully  cursed  and  abused  them,  and  notified  them  that 
they  would  be  executed  within  ten  days  ;  after  which  he 
ordered  them  placed  in  the  dungeon,  to  be  kept  there  until 
the  day  of  their  execution.  It  did  not  take  long  to  com 
municate  this  matter  to  President  Lincoln.  Immediately, 
Brig.  Gen.  W.  F.  Lee,  a  nephew  of  the  rebel  leader,  R.  E. 
Lee,  and  Capt.  Winder,  a  son  of  the  rebel  commandant  at 
Richmond,  both  prisoners  of  war,  were  placed  in  close  con 
finement,  as  hostages  for  Flinn  and  Sawyer,  and  the  rebel 
authorities  were  notified  that  the  moment  our  officers  were 
executed ,  Lee  and  Winder  would  meet  a  similar  fate .  This 
prompt  action  had  the  desired  effect.  The  execution  was 
indefinitely  deferred,  though  Flinn  and  Sawyer  were  kept 
in  the  dungeon  a  long  time .  It  is  said  that  so  great  was 
the  shock  to  Captain  Flinn 's  entire  nature,  that  his  hair 
turned  white  almost  in  one  clav. 


154  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

OTHER    SUFFERERS. 

The  experience  of  Capt.  E.  M.  Driscoll,  3d  Ohio,  and 
Lieut.  C.  W.  Pavey,  80th  Illinois,  was  even  worse  than  that 
of  Flinii  and  Sawyer.  They  were  selected  in  retaliation  for 
the  death  of  two  rebel  recruiting  officers,  who  were  execu 
ted  for  violation  of  a  standing  order  of  General  Burnside, 
while  in  command  of  the  Department  of  Ohio.  They  were 
confined  in  the  dark,  damp,  filthy  dungeon,  147  days,  in 
torture  and  agony  of  botli  mind  and  body.  Nearly  every 
day  they  were  visited  by  a  brute  named  Dick  Turner,  a 
sort  of  commissary  officer  in  the  prison,  who  with  curses 
and  abusive  epithets  would  taunt  and  insult  them.  Their 
rations  were  half  a  pound  of  coarse  corn  bread  and  James 
River  water.  They  were  not  allowed  to  communicate  with 
any  one  ;  and  no  one  can  realize  the  intensity  of  their  suf 
fering.  They  survived  it,  however,  and  lived  to  return  to 
their  homes  ;  though  with  wasted  bodies  and  health  gone 
forever. 

Lieut.  E.  N.  Reed,  3d  Ohio,  was  severely  wounded  in 
the  hip,  during  the  Raid,  and  fell  into  the  hands  of  For 
rest's  guerrillas,  who  suffered  him  to  lay  several  days  with 
no  medical  attention  whatever.  In  this  pitiable  condition, 
he  was  thrown  into  a  wagon,  and  hauled  many  miles,  over 
a  rough,  mountainous  country,  to  the  railroad  at  Hunts- 
ville,  Ala.,  where  with  other  prisoners,  he  was  packed  into 
a  dilapidated  old  stock  car,  and  taken  to  Richmond,  where 
for  many  months  he  endured  untold  suffering;  when,  for  a 
mere  imaginary  breach  of  prison  rules,  he  was  thrust  into 
the  dungeon,  with  no  bed  but  the  bare  fioor,  and  without  a 
morsel  to  eat,  he  was  kept  for  4cS  hours.  At  the  same  time 
his  wound  was  running  so  as  to  require  frequent  washing 
and  dressing.  Surviving  his  wound  and  the  terrible  treat 
ment,  he  was  sent  to  Charleston,  S.  C.,  and  thence  started 
for  Columbia  ;  but  before  boarding  the  train,  he  escaped 
from  the  guard,  and  found  refuge  in  an  old  house  in  .the 
suburbs.  While  concealed  there,  awaiting  a  chance  to  get 


STARVING 


IN     L  iff  BY    PRISON.  155 


through  to  the  Union  lines,  he  took  yellow  fever,  and  soon 
after,  with  no  friend  to  minister  to  his  dying  wants,  his 
great  spirit  was  added  to  the  long  line  of  ''unknown." 

REDUCING    THE    RATIONS. 

For  a  few  weeks,  the  inmates  of  "Libby"  continued  to 
receive  the  rations  of  bread,  beef  and  rice  established  in 
that  miserable  institution,  in  as  fair  quantity  and  quality 
as  our  officers,  from  recent  experience,  expected.  Colonel 
Streight  wrote  at  this  time  as  follows  : 

fc"  RICHMOND,  VA.,  July  12,  1863. 

You  will  see  by  this  T  am  still  a  prisoner.  I  have  no  idea  when  I 
will  be  exchanged,  consequently  am  making  the  best  1  can  out  of  my 
present  misfortunes.  My  health  is  good  ;  so  is  that  of  the  prisoners  gen 
erally.  I  have  received  no  letter  from  you  since  I  left  Murfreesboro." 

But  with  the  increase  in  numbers,  the  rations  began 
to  decrease,  both  in  quantity  and  quality,  till  the  amount 
was  not  sufficient  to  sustain  life.  Many  succumbed,  and 
were  sent  to  the  hospital.  Then  the  colonel  wrote  another 
letter,  and  one  of  a  very  different  character  : 

"  LIKHY  PRISON,  RICHMOND,  VA.,  i 

August  81,  1863.  / 

Jfott.  Jame*  A.  ftcddcn,  Secretary  of  War: 

SIR—  T  take  the  liberty  of  addressing  you  on  behalf 
of  myself  and  fellow  prisoners  in  relation  to  our  situation. 

About  six  hundred  of  us  are  con  fined  here,  with  an  average  space  of 
twenty-eight  square  feet  each,  which  includes  our  room  for  cooking,  eat 
ing,  washing,  bathing  and  sleeping.  Our  rations  consist,  as  nearly  as  1 
can  judge  as  to  quantity,  of  about  one-fourth  pound  of  poor  fresh  beef, 
one-half  pound  of  bread,  and  one-half  gill  of  rice  or  black  peas,  for  each 
man  per  day. 

Scorbutic  diseases  have  already  appeared,  proving  fatal  in  one  in 
stance,  (Major  Morris,)  and  impairing  seriously,  if  not  permanently,  the 
health  of  many  others. 

Our  sanitary  condition  would  have  been  much  worse  than  it  now  is, 
but  for  the  large  purchases  of  vegetables  and  other  provisions,  amounting 
to  nearly  one  thousand  dollars  per  day,  which  \ve  have  been  allowed  to 
make.  But  as  nearly  all  our  money  was  taken  from  us  when  we  entered 
the  prison,  the  daily  expenditure  of  this  large  sum  has  at  length  about 
•  exhausted  what  was  left  us.  We  have  also  been  notified  that  we  would 
not  be  allowed  to  receive  any  portion  of  the  money  taken  from  us  here, 
nor  to  receive  such  minis  as  have  been  sent  to  ux  from  home  nincr  our 


l'~>6  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA     REGIMENT. 

imprisonment;  though  before  writing  for  these  monies,  we  were  express 
ly  assured  by  your  officers  having  us  in  charge,  that  we  would  be  allowed 
to  receive  them. 

It  will  be  perceived  from  the  above  statement,  that  our  immediate 
prospective  condition  is,  to  say  the  least,  that  of  semi-starvation.  The 
rations  furnished  by  your  Government,  may  be  as  good,  and  as  much  as 
it  can  afford  under  the  circumstances,  hut  in  that  case  it  does  seem  that 
we  .should  be  allowed  to  purchase  the  necessary  amount  to  sustain  us.  It 
<vmnot  possibly  be  that  it  is  intended  to  reduce  to  a  famishing  condition 
six  hundred  prisoners  of  war.  Humanity  cannot  contemplate  such  a 
thing  without  feelings  of  the  deepest  horror.  Saying  nothing  of  our 
rights  as  prisoners  of  war,  even  criminals,  guilty  of  the  blackest  crimes, 
are  not,  among  civilized  people,  confined  for  any  length  of  time  on  insuf 
ficient  food. 

I  wish  further  to  state  to  you,  that  previous  to  my  surrender,  I  made 
-a  stipulation  with  General  Forrest,  to  whom  I  surrendered,  that  all  pri 
vate  property,  including  money,  belonging  to  my  officers  and  men,  should 
be  respected.  This  stipulation,  in  tiie  handwriting  of  General  Forrest, 
over  his  own  signature,  is  now  in  the  hands  of  General  Winder,  Having 
been  taken  from  me  here.  Notwithstanding  this,  my  officers  (ninety-five 
in  number,)  have  been  notified  with  the  balance,  that  their  money  has 
been  turned  over  to  the  Confederate  authorities. 

For  the  purpose  of  avoiding  further  loss  of  money,  or  misunderstand 
ing,  and  if  possible  to  obtain  relief  from  the  unhappy  situation  in  which 
Ave  are  placed,  you  are  most  respectfully  requested  to  state  in  your  answer 
to  this  communication,  the  manner  in  which  we  will  be  allowed  to  obtain 
ihe  necessary  food  and  clothing  to  render  us  comfortable. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

A.  I).  STKKIGHT, 
Colonel  of  Fifty-First  Indiana  Volunteers." 

Tliis  letter  had  the  effect  to  improve  things  for  a  little 
while,  but  other  cruelties  were  added  in  time. 

Writing  letters  home  was  for  some  months  the  chief 
source  of  comfort.  But  even  this  was  denied  them.  The 
following  order  was  issued  by  the  ignorant  brute  in  charge 
of  the  prison  : 

"OFFICE  C.  S.  MILITARY  PRISON,  \ 
Richmond,  Va.  j 

Hereafter  prisoners  wont  be  allowed  to  write  no  letters  to  go  to  the 
so  called  United  States  of  more  than  six  lines  in  length  and  only  one 
letter  per  week.  By  command  of 

THOS.  P.  TURNER, 

Major  C.  S.  A." 


PLANS    FOR    ESCAPE.  157 

Becoming  desperate  in  consequence  of  these  cruelties, 
and  long  confinement,  a  plan  was  conceived  and  set  in  op 
eration,  for  the  general  delivery  of  prisoners  at  Richmond. 
The  scheme  was  deep,  bold  and  daring,  and  was  known  as 
the  "Council  of  Five."  The  plan,  with  additional  details, 
was  to  escape  from  "Libby,"  release  about  15,000  Union 
soldiers  in  Richmond  and  on  Belle  Isle,  seize  the  arsenal, 
make  Jeff  Davis  a  prisoner,  cross  James  River,  burn  the 
bridges  after  them,  and  escape  down  the  Peninsula.  The 
plan  was  perfectly  feasible,  and  would  have  been  executed, 
but  for  a  traitor  in  the  prison,  who  communicated  the  plan 
to  the  rebels,  and  thus  checkmated  the  game. 

Half  a  block  from  "Libby"  was  confined  over  7,000 
enlisted  men  ;  on  Belle  Isle  about  the  same  number.  Col. 
Streight  was  the  acknowledged  leader.  He  originated  the 
"Secret  Council  of  Five,"  and  was  chosen  commander-in- 
chief.  It  was  a  sworn  secret  organization,  and  so  perfect- 
was  its  development,  that  nothing  short  of  treachery  could 
have  defeated  its  plan.  Suddenly,  one  night,  a  battery 
and  two  regiments  of  rebel  infantry  were  drawn  up  in  front 
of  the  prison.  The  artillery  was  trained  on  the  building, 
and  the  infantry  stood  in  line  all  night.  This  was  contin 
ued  some  days.  Our  enlisted  men  were  soon  after  sent  to 
Andersonville,  and  iron  bars  wrere  put  up  at  the  windows 
of  "Libby."  Pickett's  division  was  als/>  ordered  to  the  vi 
cinity  of  Richmond. 

This  plan  being  abandoned,  each  officer  set  about  to 
devise  some  other  means  of  escape.  A  number  succeeded 
in  bribing  the  guards,  and  getting  away. 

ANDERSON    AND    SKELTON. 

Capt.  M.  T.  Anderson  tried  it  in  a  way  quite  original, 
and,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  add,  eminently  successful,  though 
full  of  danger. 

The  day  he  entered  the  loathsome  prison,  he  began  an 
inspection  of  every  accessible  part  of  the  building.  In  one 


158  FIFTY- FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

of  the  board  partitions  lie  found  a  knothole,  through  which 
lie  saw  several  half-starved  Union  prisoners,  from  whom  he 
learned  that  they  were  to-be  exchanged.  One  of  them  also 
told  him  it  would  doubtless  be  a  long  time  before  another 
exchange  would  be  made  ;  and  he  added,  "If  there  is  any 
word  you  wish  to  send  to  your  friends  in  the  North,  you  do 
not  care  to  have  the  prison  authorities  know,  write  it  on  a 
piece  of  paper,  and  if  I  can  secrete  it  in  any  way  until  I 
reach  the  Union  lines,  I  will  send  it  to  your  friends."  He 
tore  the  tissue  leaf  out  of  his  pocket  Bible,  wrote  011  it  his 
father's  address,  and  a  request  that  when  he  sent  for  provi 
sions  and  clothing,  to  send  also  a  good  sum  of  greenbacks 
sewed  up  in  the  lining  of  the  pants.  Soon  after  that  all  of 
Htreight's  officers  were  moved  to  the  third  floor,  having 
access,  however,  to  the  second.  After  months  of  fruitless 
hoping  and  waiting,  Anderson  became  convinced  that  his 
escape  from  the  upper  rooms  was  a  moral  impossibility,  as 
he  came  near  losing  his  life  several  times,  by  being  shot  at 
by  the  guards  while  climbing  down  from  an  upper  window. 
He  must  try  strategy  ;  and  he  spent  one  entire  night  form 
ulating  a  plan.  He  wrould  feign  sickness,  and  get  an  order 
to  go  down  to  the  hospital,  which  was  on  the  ground  floor. 
Keeping  his  own  counsel,  he  became  alarmingly  ill  before 
the  morning  roll  was  called,  and  by  9  o'clock,  the  hour  for 
"sick  call/'  he  was  seemingly  in  such  a  condition,  that  the 
surgeon  sent  him  down  stairs  at  once.  After  keeping  his 
bed  about  four  days,  under  treatment,  he  sat  up  an  hour 
on  the  fifth,  and  on  the  ninth  stayed  up  all  day.  Then  he 
began  to  operate  his  plan. 

Underneath  the  hospital  was  a  basement  and  a  cook 
room.  Two  large  doors  opened  from  this  basement  to  the 
sidewalk,  where  a  sentinel  was  constantly  on  duty.  An 
other,  but  very  small  door,  opened  out  of  the  cook  room  to 
the  sidewalk  directly  at  the  southeast  corner.  This  was 
decided  on  as  the  place  of  exit.  A  suitable  companion  was 
the  next  desirable  thing;  and  one  was  found  to  his  liking 


CAPTAIN  ANDERSON'S  KSCAPK.  159 

> 
in  Lieut.  J.  F.Skelton,  of  the   17th   Iowa,  who  had   heen 

an  inmate  of  the  hospital  some  time,  and  was  quite  familiar 
with  the  surroundings. 

It  was  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  guards  were  the  same 
every  other  day  ;  the  same  sentinel  being  placed  on  the 
same  beat.  Skelton  was  well  acquainted  with  one  of  these 
guards,  and  introduced  the  captain  to  him.  Anderson  lost 
no  opportunity  to  talk  with  this  guard,  and  soon  brought 
him  to  the  precise  point  where  he  wanted  him.  For  a  sum 
specified,  he  agreed  to  allow  the  two  prisoners  to  pass  over 
his  guard  line.  Everything  seemed  favorable,  for  the  very 
next  morning  a  large  box  of  provisions  and  clothing  came 
to  Anderson.  A  pair  of  pants  was  included  ;  and  as  soon 
as  practicable,  he  examined  them.  On  ripping  the  lining, 
great  was  his  joy  to  see  a  liberal  roll  of  greenbacks  tumble 
out ;  the  key  to  liberty.  The  preliminaries  were  quickly 
arranged,  and  the  night  set  for  the  attempt.  The  cook, 
who  was  a  Union  prisoner,  was  sworn  to  secrecy.  To  open 
the  small  door  without  exciting  suspicion,  was  the  next  im 
portant  move.  It  was  to  be  done  in  the  forenoon,  after  the 
delivery  of  the  beef,  which  was  brought  in  quarters.  It 
was  the  duty  of  the  cook  to  cut  up  the  beef,  which  made  a 
great  deal  of  noise,  and  was  quite  favorable  to  the  Avork  of 
opening  the  prison  door  ;  a  very  delicate  task,  with  a  sen 
tinel  just  outside  on  duty.  This  door  was  fastened  by  four 
heavy  oak  bars  spiked  across  it  with  40-penny  nails,  with 
smaller  spikes  around  the  facing  but  a  few  inches  apart. 
Almost  every  day,  the  prison  inspector,  brutal  Dick  Tur 
ner,  visited  that  place  at  that  hour  ;  so  that  great  caution 
was  necessary.  With  a  large  meat  cleaver,  an  old  chisel 
and  a  hatchet,  the  large  spikes  were  carefully  drawn,  then 
cut  off,  leaving  about  an  inch  of  nail  from  the  head,  and 
as  soon  as  cut  returned  to  its  place.  One  by  one  the  spikes 
were  all  drawn  and  doctored,  and  late  in  the  afternoon  the 
door  was  ready  to  swing  on  its  hinges.  Gathering  some 
dried  beef,  cheese  and  crackers,  the  two  were  soon  ready  to 


160  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

step  forth  from  the  jaws  of  death  into  freedom.  At  about 
9  :  35  they  said  good-bye  to  one  or  two  trusted  friends,  who 
were  informed  of  their  plan,  and  silently  removed  the  bars 
and  spikes.  Opening  the  door  an  inch  or  two,  the  guard 
was  signaled,  and  at  once  responded.  A  few  hurried  words, 
could  only  be  whispered,  for  fear  of  detection. 

"Are  you  ready?"  asked  the  guard. 

"Yes."' 

"Then  give  me  the  money." 

"Here  it  is,"  said  Anderson. 

"Is  it  all  here?" 

"Yes,  every  dollar/' 

"Come  on,  then,"  the  guard  whispered.  At  the  same 
instant  the  next  sentinel  called  the  corporal  of  the  guard  ; 
and  our  boys,  whose  hearts  now  throbbed  with  a  horrible 
dread,  felt  that  after  all  they  had  been  betrayed.  Every 
second  seemed  an  hour.  But  their  fear  was  relieved  when 
the  guard  whispered,  "The  corporal  will  not  be  here  long  ; 
then  the  coast  will  be  clear."  To  the  anxious  comrades, 
who  were  both  under  23  years  of  age,  this  was  sweeter  than 
music.  Hope  revived  rapidly  ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  more 
they  were  assured  by  the  sentinel  that  again  all  was  ready. 
At  10  o'clock  they  knew  the  hour  of  the  night  would  be 
called,  at  which  moment  the  sentinels  on  the  south  side  all 
faced  westward,  and  those  on  the  east  side  faced  northward, 
as  they  took  up  the  cry  ;  and  it  was  decided  to  make  the 
break  just  as  the  clock  struck.  The  greatest  danger  was 
from  a  sentry  guarding  some  boxes  on  the  canal  bank  di 
rectly  opposite  the  little  door.  But  quicker  than  it  can  be 
told,  they  had  jumped  over  the  guard-line,  passed  within  a 
few  feet  of  a  number  of  armed  rebels,  who  would  not  have 
hesitated  a  second  to  shoot  down  an  escaping  Yankee  pris 
oner,  and  walked  quickly  down  Canal  street,  whistling  as 
they  went,  yet  each  moment  expecting  a  rebel  bullet,  until 
two  blocks  had  been  traversed ;  then  turning  onto  Main 
street,  they  elbowed  their  way  among  the  crowds  of  rebel 


CAPTAIN  ANDERSON'S  ESCAPE.  101 

soldiers,  paying  no  attention  to  any  one,  and  animated  by 
no  thought  other  than  to  get  as  far  away  from  the  foul  pen 
as  possible. 

Captain  Anderson  had  a  faithful  friend  in  George,  a 
colored  boy,  who  had  gone  out  east  of  the  village  of  Rock 
ets,  and  carefully  examined  the  ground,  the  result  of  which 
he  had  detailed  to  the  captain  ;  so  that  when  they  neared 
the  outer  works,  the  fugitives  had  no  difficulty  in  recogni 
zing  the  location,  and  in  finding  a  path  leading  off  to  the 
right  of  the  road.  Following  this  as  well  as  the}'-  could  in 
the  dark,  they  soon  came  to  a  small  stream.  Turning  east 
up  this  stream,  they  waded  and  stumbled  over  rocks  and 
logs  for  hours  ;  and  just  where  they  passed  the  picket  lines 
.they  never  knew.  By  that  time  it  was  pouring  down  rain. 
They  did  not  dare  to  strike  a  match  to  see  the  small  com 
pass  Skelton  wore  on  his  watch  chain.  On  they  pressed  ; 
though  cold  and  wet,  without  overcoat  or  blanket,  they  did 
not  complain,  for  they  were  now  free,  and  traveling  toward 
God's  country.  In  consequence  of  their  limited  knowledge 
of  the  country  and  the  blackness  of  the  night,  they  lost  the 
road,  and  wandered  about  until  daylight,  when  they  found 
they  were  only  six  miles  from  Richmond.  To  attempt  to 
travel  by  day,  meant  certain  capture,  so  they  hid  in  what 
they  thought  was  a  thick  clump  of  underbrush,  but  which 
proved  a  sparse  thicket,  and  less  than  a  mile  from  a  large 
rebel  camp.  Rebel  soldiers  were  constantly  passing,  and 
many  came  within  fifty  yards  of  where  they  lay.  Closely 
they  studied  a  lijjtle  map  the  captain  had  copied  from  one 
loaned  him  by  the  hospital  steward,  but  they  could  not  lo 
cate  their  position.  So,  hour  after  hour  they  waited  and 
watched,  hoping  some  slave  might  pass  that  way,  knowing 
that  Union  soldiers  could  always  trust  the  black  man .  At 
length  they  were  rewarded  by  the  approach  of  a  large  cov 
ered  wagon,  driven  by  a  negro.  When  they  halted  him,  to 
their  astonishment  a  white  man  jumped  out,  and  inquired, 

"What  you-uns  want?"     They  knew  no  white  citizen  there 
11 


62  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

was  likely  to  be  their  friend,  so  they  quickly  answered  that 
they  were  in  search  of  a  runaway  slave  ;  that  he  had  been 
tracked  to  Richmond,  and  into  that  neighborhood,  where 
all  trace  was  lost.  They  also  named  a  good  sum  offered  for 
his  capture  and  delivery.  This  satisfied  the  old  Virginian, 
who  promised  to  do  all  lie  could  for  them  ;  and  with  their 
profuse  thanks,  he  drove  on. 

Immediately  after  dark  they  struck  the  Williamsburg 
pike,  leading  to  Bottom's  bridge,  where  they  hoped  to  cross 
the  Chickahominy.  The  night  soon  became  black  as  ink, 
and  while  groping  along  they  suddenly  found  themselves 
tripping  over  the  guy-ropes  of  the  headquarter  tents  of  the 
rebel  force  guarding  Bottom's  bridge.  This  was  not  a  very 
healthy  situation,  but  crawling  on  their  hands  and  knees, 
they  finally  got  clear  of  the  camp,  and  fortunately  soon  got 
back  on  the  road  ;  but  it  was  pouring  down  rain,  cold,  and 
so  dark,  that  to  travel  was  out  of  the  question.  So,  they 
went  into  an  adjoining  woods,  and  stood  up  against  a  tree, 
occasionally  walking  around  it  to  keep  warm.  They  deci 
ded  then  to  lay  their  course  at  the  first  streak  of  dawn,  by 
map  and  compass,  due  north  to  the  White  Oak  swamp. 
This  they  reached,  and  all  day  long,  Sunday,  December  13, 
1803,  they  toiled  through  that  dense  swamp,  often  waist 
deep  in  mud  and  water,  and  having  to  part  the  underbrush 
and  briars  to  get  through  at  all.  About  sunset  they  sud 
denly  emerged,  covered  with  black  mud,  clothes  in  tatters, 
shoes  torn  from  their  feet,  and  they  filled  with  briars  and 
snags,  and  bleeding,  to  find  themselves  on  the  Chickahom 
iny  River.  It  had  concerned  them  much  how  they  would 
cross  that  stream,  knowing  it  was  deep  and  swift.  Here 
Providence  seemed  to  favor  them  ;  almost  in  front  of  where 
they  stood  was  a  large  tree  uprooted,  reaching  entirely  to 
the  eastern  bank,  on  which  they  crossed  with  ease.  Tired, 
hungry  and  footsore,  they  again  camped  on  the  cold,  damp 
ground  in  a  clump  of  bushes,  and  not  daring  to  build  a  fire 
to  dry  their  clothing,  they  had  to  keep  moving  to  prevent 


(.•ATTAIN  ANDERSON'S  ESCAPE. 

freezing.  The  night  was  one  of  storm,  wind,  rain  and 
sleet,  and  sleep  was  impossible.  At  earliest  dawn  of  day, 
after  a  few  mouthfuls  of  food,  they  proceeded  ;  but  had  not 
gone  far  when  they  spied  a  rebel  scout  approaching  them. 
To  run  was  to  excite  suspicion  ;  so,  they  determined  to  de 
fend  themselves  with  their  clubs,  and  die  ere  being  taken 
back.  But  the  scout  passed  by  with  a  single  glance.  Then 
crossing  the  road,  they  struck  for  the  pine  woods,  and  for 
four  hours  they  ran,  through  forest  and  swamp  and  field, 
keeping  a  due  easterly  course.  About  10  A.  M.,  on  coming 
out  of  a  ravine  they  discovered  a  colored  girl  sweeping  up 
leaves.  They  questioned  her  as  to  roads  and  localities,  but 
she  could  give  them  no  information.  They  learned  with 
amazement,  however,  that  they  were  only  a  hundred  yards 
from  a  large  house,  where  her  master  lived.  He  had  just 
left  her,  and  was  coming  back  soon.  When  they  told  her 
they  were  Yankee  officers  escaped  from  Richmond,  she  was 
greatly  alarmed  for  their  safety,  telling  them  to  hurry  on, 
as  "Massa  he  got  bloodhounds,  an'  he  cotch  lots  o'  Yan 
kees  from  Belle  Isle.  He  take  you  back  ef  he  see  you." 
They  started  on  briskly,  and  she  said,  "You  better  run  ;  I 
won't  tell  massa."  Away  they  went,  on  double-quick,  till 
many  miles  lay  between  them  and  Mr.  Bradley.  On  their 
run,  looking  down  from  a  ridge  they  saw  not  over  a  quar 
ter  of  a  mile  away  a  troop  of  rebel  cavalry.  They  had  not 
been  observed  fortunately,  and  they  rolled  off  a  few  miles 
more ,  till  they  were  brought  to  a  halt  by  a  swamp  over  400 
feet  wide,  300  of  which  was  quicksand  or  quagmire.  They 
were  an  hour  and  a  half  crossing  it ;  but  once  over,  felt  safe 
from  Bradley 's  hounds  and  the  troopers.  Late  that  night 
they  reached  Haw  Creek.  At  a  negro  cabin  they  asked  for 
food,  and  were  gladly  supplied  ;  but  as  it  was  unsafe  to  stay 
there ,  they  returned  to  the  woods  ;  though  they  could  not 
sleep  because  of  pain  and  cold.  The  captain  had  traveled 
barefooted  nearly  all  day,  and  his  feet  were  bleeding  and 
swollen.  Their  suffering  was  inexpressible  ;  but  death  was 


164  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

preferable  to  recapture.  Early  next  morning  they  strug 
gled  on  again,  almost  exhausted.  Meeting  a  negro  in  the 
woods,  they  learned  that  two  companies  of  Union  cavalry 
had  been  at  Games'  Mills  the  night  before.  It  was  nine 
teen  miles  to  Williamsburg,  and  they  thought  it  might  be 
safe  to  travel  the  road  in.  After  going  a  mile,  they  saw  a 
couple  of  horsemen  approaching.  Concealing  themselves 
quickly ,  they  awaited  them ,  and  were  delighted  to  discover 
them  to  be  negroes.  The  captain  hailed  them  and  told  who 
they  were,  and  asked  about  the  safety  of  the  road. 

"Lor'  bress  your  soul,  massa  !"  they  said,  "cle  road  'm 
full  o'  secesh.  Dey  cotch  ye  long  'fore  ye  git  to  Massa  Lin- 
kum's  army  at  Williamsburg." 

Their  joy  at  meeting  the  first  live  Yankees  they  had 
ever  seen,  suddenly  turned  to  fear  for  their  safety.  They 
found  a  safe  place  to  conceal  the  fugitives  till  night,  when 
they  returned  and  piloted  them  around  a  large  plantation  to 
a  cabin,  where  they  met  a  generous  reception,  and  got  a 
splendid  supper. 

While  they  were  eating,  one  of  their  faithful  guides 
brought  his  horse  and  cart  to  the  door,  and  proposed  to 
give  them  a  ride  of  eight  miles.  Snugly  stowing  them 
under  some  straw  and  fodder,  he  started  ;  and  on  the  way 
he  passed  a  rebel  picket  post  at  a  dead  run,  without  a  chal 
lenge.  Their  guide  could  not,  for  fear  of  detection,  take 
them  in  the  cart  beyond  Chickahominy  Church,  but  lest 
they  should  lose  their  way,  he  piloted  them  three  miles  fur 
ther.  Then  giving  them  minute  direction,  with  streaming 
eyes  and  trembling  voice,  he  bade  his  Yankee  friends  fare 
well  .  With  light  hearts  and  renewed  strength  they  pushed 
on,  determined,  if  possible,  to  be  inside  of  the  Union  lines 
before  sunrise  of  the  next  day.  After  three  hours  of  hard 
marching,  they  recognized  the  cross-roads  within  a  mile  of 
the  Union  picket  post,  but  had  been  told  to  look  sharp  for 
rebels  there  ;  so  they  advanced  very  cautiously .  As  they 
crept  stealthily  along,  their  hearts  suddenly  stopped  beat- 


(ATTAIN   ANDERSON'S  ESCAPE.  1(>5 

ing,   as  a  sound   broke  the  stillness  of  the  night  air,   with, 

"Halt!" 

They  promptly  obeyed  ;  and  looking  in  the  direction 
whence  the  sound  came,  they  could  see  the  outlines  of  three 
mounted  men  with  presented  guns,  but  could  not  distin 
guish  their  uniforms. 

"Who  goes  there?" 

"Friends." 

"Advance,  friends,  and  give  the  countersign  !" 

This  was  a  trying  moment ;  but  with  all  the  coolness 
they  could  muster,  they  rejoined,  "To  whom  shall  we  ad 
vance?" 

"Who  are  you  friends  to?" 

This  was  another  severe  test,  but  they  replied  : 

"We  are  friends  to  the  North." 

"Come  011,  then,  for  we  are  Union  pickets." 

Still  cautious,  they  advanced  till  the  blue  uniform  and 
U.S.  belt  was  plainly  seen,  when  all  doubt  was  cast  to  the 
winds,  and  their  pent-up  feelings  burst  forth.  They  yelled 
and  rolled,  and  hugged  the  picket-guards,  the  horses  and 
each  other  ;  and  it  was  fifteen  minutes  before  they  could 
quiet  down  sufficiently  to  explain  their  boisterous  conduct, 
and  tell  who  they  were  and  where  from. 

At  daylight  they  came  in  sight  of  the  old  flag,  and  the 
tears  of  joy  coursed  down  their  cheeks,  as  their  hearts  rose 
in  gratitude  to  the  great  Preserver.  Every  attention  was 
shown  them  by  the  officer  of  the  post,  Colonel  West,  who 
sent  them  to  General  Butler.  He  treated  them  with  great 
kindness,  and  forwarded  them  to  Baltimore,  and  thence  to 
Washington,  where  they  arrived  just  eight  days  after  leav- 
.  ing  the  gloomy  walls  of  "Libby."  The  Secretary  of  War 
gave  them  a  thirty  days'  leave,  an  order  on  the  paymaster 
for  ten  months'  pay,  and  then  in  proper  uniform  they  left 
for  their  homes. 


166  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA     RKCilMKNT. 


COLONEL    STREKJHT    AND    CAPTAIN    RKKI"). 

Colonel  Streight  and  Captain  Reed,  of  the  3d  Ohio, 
tried  it.  One  day  one  of  the  guards  poked  a  note  through 
a  window,  telling  the  colonel  he  was  a  fool  to  stay  in  there  ; 
adding  "You  may  come  out  to  my  post  to-morrow  night, 
with  a  friend,  and  if  you  will  give  me  $100  and  your  watch, 
I  will  let  you  escape."  With  the  aid  of  a  rope  made  of  a 
blanket,  at  the  time  appointed,  the  two  officers  descended 
from  a  second-story  window,  handed  the  guard  the  money 
and  watch,  and  passed  outside.  They  had  only  gone  a  few 
steps,  when,  without  challenge,  they  were  fired  upon  by  a 
squad  of  rebel  soldiers.  It  was  simply  a  scheme  to  catch 
them,  and  they  were  led  back  and  placed  in  a  dungeon,  in 
which  they  were  kept  for  thirty  days.  It  was  a  dismal, 
dark  hole,  about  eight  by  ten  feet,  in  the  basement.  Prot 
estations,  threats  nor  prayers  had  no  effect.  Clevises,  such 
as  were  used  to  shackle  negro  slaves,  were  placed  on  their 
wrists,  and  they  were  allowed  nothing  to  sit  or  lie  upon. 
Each  request  to  the  superintendent,  Turner,  was  answered 
by,  "Oh,  no  ;  you  were  not  very  well  pleased  up  stairs  ;  I 
think  this  will  please  you  first-rate."  One  day  the  notori 
ous  John  Morgan  visited  the  dungeon  ;  and  having  a  sort 
of  admiration  for  Streight,  he  said,  "This  is  no  place  to 
keep  a  white  man  ;  take  them  out  of  here."  So  they  were 
released  from  that  terrible  place,  and  returned  to  their  old 
quarters . 

Soon  after  Captain  Reed  was  released  from  the  horrid 
dungeon,  he  was  selected  and  sent  to  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  in 
irons,  and  there  placed  in  close  confinement,  as  a  hostage 
for  the  safety  of  a  rebel  officer  in  the  hands  of  the  United 
States  authorities.  From  Salisbury  he  made  several  efforts 
to  escape,  and  on  two  occasions  got  within  a  few  miles  of 
our  troops  in  East  Tennessee  ;  but  was  each  time  hunted 
down  with  blood-hounds,  and  taken  back  to  prison.  While 
being  transferred  to  Macon,  Ga.,  he  procured  a  gray  suit, 


"COUNCIL  OF  FIVE."     THE  TUNNELS.  167 

and  in  this  he  slipped  from  the  car,  passed  along  the  line 
of  guards,  until  he  selected  one  on  whom  to  practice  his 
trick.  He  pretended  to  engage  the  guard  in  conversation  ; 
but,  supposing  him,  from  his  dress,  to  be  a  citizen  of  the 
town,  he  ordered  him  outside  of  the  lines.  The  captain 
walked  away,  looking  back  very  angrily  ;  and  losing  him 
self  in  the  crowd  at  the  depot,  he  found  a  place  of  safety, 
where  he  remained  concealed,  until  a  dark  stormy  night 
enabled  him  to  secure  a  small  row-boat,  in  which  he  went 
down  the  river  into  Charleston  harbor,  and  finally  to  Sulli 
van's  Island,  where  he  was  again  under  the  folds  of  the 
old  flag.  Returning  home,  he  was  appointed  Major  of  the 
174th  Ohio,  and  was  killed  in  battle  near  Murfreesboro , 
December  7,  1864. 

TWTO    TUNNELS. 

The  "Council  of  Five"  did  not  despair  of  escape  on 
account  of  failure.  A  league  was  organized,  each  member 
of  which  was  sworn  to  not  divulge  anything  to  even  his 
most  intimate  friend .  A  few  bricks  were  carefully  removed 
from  the  back  of  the  fireplace,  and  an  opening  was  made 
through  the  wall,  coming  out  below  the  joists  on  the  oppo 
site  side,  into  the  cellar.  This  work  was  necessarily  done 
all  at  night,  and  all  traces  were  removed  before  morning. 
Two  or  three  trusty  men  would  be  at  Avork,  and  the  rest  sat 
around  and  sang,  making  so  much  noise  that  the  sounds  of 
the  workmen  could  not  be  detected.  Then  a  tunnel  was 
begun  near  the  south  wall,  with  the  intention  of  running 
through  to  the  sewer  under  Canal  street.  On  account  of 
the  water  seeping  in  from  the  sewTer,  which  threatened  to 
flood  the  cellar,  that  tunnel  was  abandoned. 

Colonel  Streight  then  planned  another  tunnel.  The 
building  was  situated  on  a  hillside,  the  basement  being  on 
a  level  with  Canal  street,  and  the  first  floor  on  a  level  with 
Carey  street,  on  the  other  side.  Across  Carey  street  was 
Carr's  warehouse,  and  adjoining  it  a  stable.  From  a  win- 


FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA     RKGIMKNT. 

(low  tlie  colonel  got  his  bearings,  and  by  a  little  calculation 
by  triangulation ,  at  which  he  had  acquired  a  readiness  in 
many  years'  experience  "lumbering"  among  the  forests  of 
New  York,  he  got  the  distance  to  the  stable,  into  which  the 
tunnel  was  designed  to  lead .  A  stone  was  removed  from 
the  foundation  in  day  time,  after  which  the  work  was  pros 
ecuted  by  night.  In  digging,  it  was  necessary  to  dispose 
of  the  dirt.  This  was  carefully  distributed  in  the  cellar, 
and  covered  over  with  straw,  a  large  quantity  of  which  was 
stored  there  for  beds.  The  men  in  the  secret  dug  by  regu 
lar  turns.  The  man  in  the  tunnel  would  fill  a  little  sack, 
then  pull  a  cord  connected  with  a  comrade  in  the  cellar, 
who  would  drag  the  sack  out  and  empty  it.  This  continued 
till  the  tunnel  was  completed.  On  returning  to  the  room, 
the  bricks  would  be  replaced,  and  ashes  scattered  about  the 
place  to  prevent  suspicion.  Toward  the  last  it  was  thought 
best  to  keep  a  guard  on  duty,  to  prevent  surprise. 

One  day  Lieutenant  White,  of  West  Virginia,  was  on 
guard  at  the  tunnel,  when  some  rebels  came  into  the  base 
ment  for  supplies  of  some  kind,  having  with  them  several 
negroes  to  carry  packages.  One  of  the  negroes  strolled  off 
toward  where  White  was  ;  and  lie  crawled  under  the  straw, 
leaving  his  shoes  sticking  out.  Imagine  a  barefooted  dar 
key  in  winter,  who  sees  a  pair  of  shoes  lying  around  loose, 
and  one  can  conceive  the  eagerness  with  which  he  seized 
the  lieutenant's  feet.  He  dropped  them  as  suddenly,  how 
ever,  and  jumped  back  with  a  startled  expression.  His 
companions  inquired  what  was  the  matter. 

"I  see  a  awful  big  rat  back  dar  !"  he  replied. 

He  had  instinctively  grasped  the  situation.  He  after 
wards  assured  the  prisoners  that  they  need  have  no  fear  of 
him.  "Fs  not  gwine  tell  on  you-uns." 

In  some  way  an  acquaintance  had  sprung  up  between 
the  officers  'ind  Mrs.  Abbie  Green,  a  citizen  of  Richmond, 
and  a  "true  blue"  Union  lady.  Through  her  colored  man 
correspondence  was  carried  on,  and  she  was  fully  apprised 


COLONEL  STRKIUHT'S  TTNXKL.  109 

of  everything  that  transpired,  and  was  prepared  to  hide 
the  officers  when  they  should  escape.  This  correspondence 
was  carried  on  between  Mrs.  Green  and  Captain  Wm.  W. 
Scearce,  of  the  Fifty-First,  whose  middle  name  wTas  Waller, 
and  over  which  signature  he  conducted  the  correspondence. 

The  tunnel  was  about  sixty  feet  in  length,  the  diameter 
being  just  large  enough  for  a  large  sized  man  to  go  easily 
through;  though  in  one  place,  where  it  curved  around  a 
rock,  it  was  smaller.  The  time  consumed  in  digging  was 
about  three  weeks.  When  it  was  about  half  completed,  a 
small  hole  was  dug  up  to  the  surface  of  the  street,  in  order 
to  ascertain  whether  the  tunnel  was  going  exactly  in  the 
right  direction.  Into  this  hole  an  old  shoe  was  thrust,  the 
toe  sticking  up  a  few  inches  above  the  street.  So  accu 
rately  had  the  diggers  calculated,  that  the  shoe  was  in  a 
perfect  line  to  the  center  of  the  stable.  It  was  finished  011 
the  night  of  February  8,  1864  ;  and  at  about  9  o'clock  the 
night  of  the  9th,  the  prisoners  commenced  passing  out. 
Colonel  Streight  was  one  of  the  first  to  go  out  that  night. 
When  he  came  to  the  curve  around  the  rock,  he  stuck  fast, 
and  had  to  be  pulled  back,  take  off  his  clothes,  and  draw 
them  through  after  him  with  a  string.  Soon  a  knowledge 
of  the  hole  spread  among  the  prisoners,  and  each  one  was 
resolved  to  go  out.  Of  the  TOO  or  800  who  jammed  and 
pushed  around  the  entrance,  only  109  succeeded  in  getting 
out.  The  discovery  of  the  delivery  was  made  at  the  daily 
morning  count,  which  consumed  nearly  four  hours.  The 
guards  were  immediately  placed  under  arrest,  as  they  were 
supposed  to  have  been  bribed.  A  thorough  inspection  was 
made,  and  the  hole  was  discovered.  Couriers  were  hurried 
in  every  direction,  pickets  doubled,  and  a  posse  from  the 
prison  galloped  off  after  the  fugitives,  5.">  of  whom  were  re 
captured  and  taken  back . 

A  history  of  the  adventures  and  sufferings  of  the  54 
who  reached  the  Union  lines,  to  say  nothing  of  the  experi 
ences  of  those  who  were  recaptured,  nor  of  the  hundreds 


170  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

who  did  not  get  even  a  snitf'  of  free  air,  would  form  a  large 
and  very  interesting  volume.  It  is  impossible  to  give  here 
more  than  a  general  outline  of  a  few  ;  which,  however,  are 
fair  samples  of  the  rest. 

STREIGHT,  SCEARCE,   MCDONALD  AND    STERLING. 

Colonel  Streight  and  Capt.  Will  Scearce  were  joined 
by  Major  McDonald  and  Lieut.  Sterling,  of  the  101st  Ohio. 
Coming  up  out  of  the  tunnel  inside  of  the  old  stable  back 
of  Carr's  warehouse,  they  went  through  an  arched  gate  to 
Canal  street,  passed  around  the  building  within  a  few  feet 
of  the  sentinels,  and  proceeded  according  to  the  direction 
of  Mrs.  Green,  to  the  house  of  a  negro  woman,  where  Mrs. 
Green  found  them,  and  conducted  them  to  the  house  of 
Mr.  Q.uarles,  where  they  met  Mrs.  L.  A.  Rice,  who  gave 
up  her  rooms  to  them,  and  provided  clothing  and  food. 
They  were  visited  by  several  Union  men,  who  furnished 
them  with  money,  revolvers  and  ammunition,  and  recon- 
noitered  the  rebel  lines,  to  ascertain  the  best  place  to  pass 
out.  They  stayed  there  one  week  ;  then,  accompanied  by  a 
guide,  and  well  provided,  they  started  for  the  Union  lines, 
directing  their  course  a  little  east  of  north.  That  night 
they  crossed  Chickahominy  River,  in  full  sight  of  the  rebel 
pickets.  The  weather  was  cold,  and  they  suffered  greatly, 
as  they  dared  not  build  fires.  On  the  fourth  day  they  ar 
rived  at  Pamunkey  River,  which  was  flowing  with  ice. 
Streight  crossed  it  on  a  fallen  cedar  tree,  found  a  boat  on 
the  other  side,  and  returning,  rowed  his  companions  over. 
Being  pursued,  they  concealed  themselves  in  a  dense  pine 
thicket.  The  next  night,  with  their  feet  badly  swollen  and 
nearly  frozen,  they  reached  Mattaponi  River,  which  was 
also  full  of  heavy  ice  ;  they  found  a  boat,  however,  and  got 
across  with  little  difficulty.  They  built  a  fire  to  heat  the 
sand,  and  buried  their  feet  to  keep  them  from  freezing. 
The  fifth  night  they  traveled  over  a  very  rough  country, 
through  brush  and  briars.  Toward  morning  they  met  a 


ESCAPE    OF    COL.    STREIGHT    AND    OTHERS.  171 

negro,  who  told  them  they  were  near  Rappahannock  Sta 
tion.  Next  morning  they  were  pursued  by  soldiers,  citizens 
and  hounds;  and  when  the  blood-hounds  overtook  them, 
they  fed  them  and  urged  them  on.  That  day  two  of  the 
party  gave  out,  and  had  to  be  supported  and  almost  forced 
along.  They  would  say,  "For  God's  sake  let  me  lie  down 
and  die  !"  Next  day  it  rained  very  hard,  and  they  found 
refuge  and  shelter  in  a  negro  hut,  where  they  were  feasted 
on  the  best  the  plantation  afforded.  Next  day  they  made 
a  raft  of  rails,  which  a  number  of  negroes  carried  a  quar 
ter  of  a  mile,  cheerfully,  for  that  purpose.  Before  starting 
the  darkies  had  gathered  all  the  ropes  and  lines  they  could 
find,  and  these  were  used  in  tying  the  rails  together.  In 
this  way  they  crossed  the  Rappahannock.  The  Potomac 
was  then  only  fifteen  miles  further.  Here  a  negro  directed 
them  to  the  house  of  a  German  who  owned  a  boat.  They 
stayed  all  night  with  him,  and  finally,  after  another  hair 
breadth  escape,  from  rebel  soldiers,  who  fired  on  the  crew, 
succeeded  in  getting  to  Blackstone  Island,  about  2  o'clock 
in  the  morning  of  Feruary  28,  1864.  Dr.  Williams  kindly 
cared  for  them  ;  and  next  day  Commodore  Parker,  of  the 
Potomac  squadron,  conveyed  them  to  Washington.  Eleven 
days  and  nights  of  perilous  wandering,  hungry,  half  naked 
and  cold,  in  marshes  and  thickets,  crossing  ice-bound  riv 
ers,  and  in  constant  fear  of  capture  or  horrible  death,  were 
at  last  ended  in  liberty  and  home. 

For  seventeen  years  after  Colonel  Streight's  escape 
from  Libby  Prison,  no  word  was  heard  denying  his  leader 
ship  in  the  construction  of  the  tunnel  through  which  109 
officers  made  their  exit  from  that  foul  and  horrible  den. 
It  remained  then  for  a  few  copperhead  newspapers  and  a 
fake  show  to  undertake  to  injure  him  by  publishing  infa 
mous  lies,  glorifying  others  and  divesting  him  of  the  glory 
with  which  popular  history  has  surrounded  him.  In  1880, 
Colonel  Straight  delivered  a  lecture  before  the  Union  Vete 
ran  Association,  of  Indianapolis,  in  which  he  described  the 


172  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Raid  and  incarceration  in  Libby  Prison,  depicting  that  hell 
upon  earth  in  its  true  light,  and  telling  of  the  awful  suffer 
ings  inflicted  upon  the  prisoners  of  war,  and  the  barbarity 
and  inhumanity  of  the  rebel  authorities.  A  garbled  report 
of  this  was  published  in  a  prominent  paper  in  that  city, 
with  an  accompanying  editorial,  belittling  the  accomplish 
ment  of  the  tunneling  out ;  saying,  "a  rat  might  have  done 
as  well  or  better;"  and  it  even  virtually,  if  not  actually, 
ridiculed  the  idea  that  Colonel  Streight  had  anything  to  do 
with  originating  the  tunnel,  and  saying  that  he  was  barely 
an  accidental  beneficiary.  In  reply  to  this,  Capt.  Wm. 
Wallick,  of  the  Fifty-First,  and  Major  John  I).  Simpson, 
of  the  10th  Indiana,  both  of  whom  escaped  with  Colonel 
Streight,  published  the  following  in  the  Indianapolis  Ne-wa  : 

THE    ESCAPE   OF    "  THE    RATS." 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Indianapolis  News  : 

If  the  Union  soldiers  wlio,  after  long  and  weary  months  of  CLiifine- 
ment  and  misery  in  Libby  Prison,  with  incredible  labor  dug  out  to  free 
dom,  are  at  this  distant  day  to  be  classed  with  vermin  and  moles,  it 
seems  to  me  that  it  makes  little  difference  who  projected  the  work  or 
who  participated  hi  it.  I  notice  with  astonishment  and  mortification, 
from  a  publication  in  the  Indianapolis  Journal,  that  "a  rat  might  have 
done  as  well  or  better."  J  was  a  Libby  prisoner,  and  I  helped  dig  in  two 
tunnels,  one  of  which  was  never  completed.  It  seemed  to  me  then  that 
we  were  digging  for  life,  and  we  hoped  we  had  the  prayers  and  kind 
wishes  of  Union-loving  friends  at  home.  But  if  any  rat  might  have  done 
as  well  or  better,  as  the  Indianapolis  Journal  thinks,  what  matter  who 
was  the  head  rat?  It  is  a  prominence  not  to  be  coveted  ;  a  leadership 
not  to  be  envied.  When  prominent  Republican  editors  revile  and  bur 
lesque  the  sufferings  of  unfortunate  Union  soldiers,  it  matters  little  who 
was  prominent  and  conspicuous  in  miseries,  or  most  active  and  efficient 
in  escaping  them.  Better  be  an  unknown  and  obscure  Union  soldier  than 
a  disgraced  and  defamed  rat.  I  was  one  of  the  unfortunate  rodents  who, 
under  the  direction  of  Gen.  Streight,  assisted  in  digging  out  of  Libby 
Prison.  I  have  carefully  read  the  synopsis  of  his  lecture  to  the  Veteran 
Club;  and  I  indorse  its  accuracy  in  all  substantial  particulars.  There 
were  two  tunnels;  I  dug  in  both  ;  one  was  not  completed.  Some  confu 
sion  has  no  doubt  arisen  from  confounding  the  operations  of  the  two 
tunnels.  This  I  know:  Gen.  Streight  was  the  commander-in-chief  in 
Libby  of  the  Council  of  Five,  the  friend  and  helper  of  everybody.  He 
was  of  the  Council  upon  whose  discretion,  sagacity  and  secrecy  every 
thing  depended.  We  all  looked  up  to  him  and  loved  him.  So  much 


COLONEL  STREIGHT'S  TUNNEL.  173 

depended  upon  secrecy  and  stillness,  our  hopes  for  liberty  and  life  and 
one  more  sight  of  home  and  friends,  that  the  men  who  worked  and  dug 
were  as  silent  as  rats,  and  as  industrious.  They  dug  and  worked,  or,  as  the 
Journal  probably  would  have  it,  "gnawed"  away  in  darkness  and  utter 
silence.  Death  was  the  penalty  of  failure,  and  with  bated  breath,  they 
dug  on,  rarely  whispering  and  often  not  knowing  who  were  their  helpers, 
caring  or  knowing  little  or  nothing  as  to  who  was  "head  rat,"  satisfied 
that  it  was  better  to  dig  on  desperately  rather  than  "die  like  a  rat  in  a 
hole."  I  always  considered  Gen.  Streight  the  projector  and  superintend 
ent  of  the  last  tunnel,  through  which  he  escaped  ;  and  I,  with  others,  was 
willing  to  work  under  his  direction. 

One  word  more:  Gen.  Streight  has  never  claimed  any  special  merit 
in  the  tunnel  business,  wonderful  achievement  as  it  was.  He  always 
insisted  upon  giving  to  the  boys  full  credit,  and  disclaimed  for  himself 
anything  like  the  prominence  he  really  had.  His  lecture  before  the  Vet 
eran  Association,  of  which  a  mere  synopsis  is  printed,  has  been  called  for 
earnestly  a  thousand  times.  He  has  been  importuned  and  earnestly  be 
sought  to  make  it  by  the  old  soldiers  and  citizens  for  years.  It  is  the 
plain  unvarnished  narrative  of  an  honest,  frank,  noble  old  soldier,  of 
whose  achievements  the  tunnel  work  and  subsequent  escape  was  a  very 
small  part.  He  deserves  the  thanks,  the  gratitude  and  the  honors  of  his 
countrymen  ;  and  the  pitiful  attempt  to  defame  and  defile  him 
merits  the  scorn,  denunciation  and  contempt  of  every  honorable  man 
believing  in  justice  and  fair  play.  WILLIAM  WALLICK, 

Late  Captain  Co.  G,  51st  Ind.,  Peru,  Ind. 


ANOTHER  RAT  SQUEAKS. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Indianapolis  News : 

I  have  read  with  deep  regret  the  shameful  and  uncalled  for  attack  of 
the  Indianapolis  Journal  upon  Gen.  A.  D.  Streight,  and  feeling  keenly 
the  injustice  done  him,  I  lose  no  time  in  adding  my  testimony  to  the 
truth  of  his  statement  made  in  a  lecture  before  the  Union  Veteran  Asso 
ciation  of  Indianapolis.  I  carefully  read  the  synopsis  of  that  lecture,  and 
know  it  is  true.  His  plain  and  simple  statement,  told  in  the  frank  and 
open  manner  of  a  soldier,  awakens  touching  recollections,  for  I  was  a 
fellow  "rat."  It  happened  that  I  w7as  a  prisoner  of  war  from  Chicamau- 
ga  in  1863,  arriving  home  on  a  blessed  Christmas  day  in  1864.  In  Libby 
Prison  I  was  early  a  member  of  the  Secret  Council  of  Five,  made  a 
member  by  Gen.  Streight,  who  was  the  commander-in-chief  of  that  or 
ganization.  I  was  also  one  of  the  working  party,  "gophers" — that's  a 
better  word  than  "rat" — who  dug  the  now  historic  tunnel  out  of  Libby. 
I  \vas  adjutant  of  the  "Lower  Chieamauga"  room,  which  was  com 
manded  by  Capt.  Smythe,  of  the  19th  U.  S.  Infantry,  who  was 
afterwards  adjutant  general  of  a  picked  command  of  the  Secret  Council 
of  Five.  *  As  to  Gen.  Streight,  he  was  compelled  to  accept 
to  a  great  degree  our  leadership,  for  nature  had  evidently  fitted  him  for 


174  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

it.  He  never  despaired,  even  when  in  a  dark,  filthy  cell,  the  manacles 
of  treason  welded  on  him.  Men  naturally  leaned  upon  and  trusted  one 
whom  nature  had  endowed  with  unconquerable  will  and  exhaustless  re 
sources.  Rebels  hated  him,  watched  him,  plotted  to  starve,  sicken, 
murder  him,  simply  because  he,  despite  himself,  seemed  the  originator 
of  all  plans  to  escape,  the  head  of  all  schemes  for  relief,  the  support  of 
the  living  and  the  comfort  of  the  dying.  Gen.  Streight  seemed 

absolutely  essential  to  the  success  of  our  enterprise.  I  have  always  re 
garded  him  as  its  soul.  * 

Very  respectfully, 

JOHN  D.  SIMPSON, 

Late  of  10th  Ind.  Inf. 

After  the  war  Mrs.  Abbie  Green  went  to  Washington, 
where,  on  account  of  her  heroic  acts,  a  government  posi 
tion  was  given  her.  She  faithfully  discharged  her  duties 
to  the  last,  and  her  good  deeds  will  live  in  the  hearts  of 
friends,  a  more  lasting  monument  than  a  marble  shaft. 
Her  funeral  took  place  Tuesday  evening,  March  19,  1884, 
in  Washington  City,  and  was  the  occasion  of  many  words 
of  highest  praise  by  all  the  journals  of  that  city.  She  was 
born  and  educated  in  New  Hampshire,  inheriting  a  strong 
will  and  fixed  purpose  in  all  she  did.  Force  of  circum 
stances  drifted  her  into  the  South,  and  the  war  found  her 
in  the  rebel  capital.  But  her  heart  was  ever  true  to  the 
Union  ;  and  she  conceived  the  idea  of  rescuing  Union  sol 
diers  from  Libby  Prison  ;  which  she  accomplished  to  the 
jeopardy  of  her  own  life.  The  National  Republican  said,  in 
speaking  of  her  death  : 

"  Gen.  Streight  and  several  prominent  Union  officers  who  were  in 
carcerated  in  Libby  owe  their  safe  deliverance  from  that  den  to  Mrs.  A. 
H,  Green.  Many  others,  homeless  and  friendless,  have  been  taken  care 
of  by  her." 

CAPTAIN    RUSSELL    AND    OTHERS. 

Failing  to  escape  through  the  tunnel,  Captain  Russell 
and  many  others  became  discouraged,  having  given  up  all 
hope  of  exchange  of  prisoners.  Plans  for  escape,  in  case 
of  removal,  were  discussed,  however;  and  it  was  with  real 
gladness  that  word  was  received  to  get  ready  to  march .  At 
1  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  May  7,  1864,  the  rebels  began 


KSCAPK    OF    CAPTAIN    RUSSELL    AND    OTHERS. 

counting  our  men  out  at  the  narrow  door,  like  so  many 
hogs,  the  rebel  commissary  pitching  a  pone  of  corn  bread 
to  each  as  he  passed  out.  They  were  marched  to  the  Dan 
ville  depot,  and  there  packed  into  old  stock  cars,  over  sixty 
prisoners  and  five  guards  in  each  car.  The  weather  was 
very  hot,  and  water  so  scarce,  that  they  received  but  two 
half  pints  during  the  entire  journey  of  24  hours.  During 
the  trip,  some  of  the  boys  cut  holes  in  the  floors  of  the  cars, 
and  got  away.  The  scoundrel  in  command  of  the  guard 
was  called  Captain  Tabb,  and  the  prisoners  united  in  de 
nouncing  him  as  a  low,  cowardly  and  unfeeling  dog  ;  a  fit 
agent  for  the  masters  he  served.  At  Danville,  they  were 
crowded  into  two  frame  buildings ,  where  they  had  less  than 
half  the  space  allowed  in  "Libby."  They  remained  there 
five  days,  when  they  were  again  jammed  into  cars,  60  or  70 
in  each,  and  started  for  Macon,  Georgia.  Before  leaving, 
they  were  furnished  with  a  pound  and  a  half  of  corn  bread 
and  one-half  pound  of  bacon  ;  and  that  was  all  they  got 
till  they  arrived  at  Augusta,  three  days  after  ;  beside,  they 
were  not  permitted  to  buy  of  the  hucksters  who  thronged 
the  train  at  each  stopping.  Arriving  at  Macon,  May  16 — 
just  one  year  from  the  time  they  entered  "Libby,"  they 
were  placed  in  a  stockade .  At  once  squads  were  organized 
to  tunnel  out ;  and  several  large  ones  almost  succeeded , 
when  the  folly  of  one  of  our  own  officers  exposed  the  plans, 
and  placed  a  check  upon  their  operations.  In  July,  they 
were  removed  to  Charleston,  S.  C.,  where  they  were  kept 
three  months,  under  the  fire  of  our  own  guns.  During  the 
fall,  the  yellow  fever  made  its  appearance  among  the  pris 
oners  ;  in  consequence  of  which  they  were  mostly  removed 
to  Columbia,  and  placed  in  an  old  field,  with  only  a  single 
guard-line  around  them.  Captain  Milton  Russell  took  this 
occasion  to  bribe  a  guard,  with  a  silver  pen-holder  and  gold 
pen,  to  let  him  pass  his  "beat"  one  dark  night.  With  a 
rebel  "ten  dollar"  bill  the  captain  purchased  a  quart  of  salt 
and  some  matches  ;  he  also  baked  his  five  davs'  rations  of 


17G  FIFTY- FIRST    INDIANA     REGIMENT. 

corn-meal  ;  and  for  a  haversack,  he  tied  the  lower  extrem 
ity  of  an  old  shirt  with  a  string,  and  the  sleeves  together, 
to  swing  over  his  neck.  Three  days  after,  the  same  rebel 
soldier  guarded  the  captain  and  several  others  outside  the 
lines,  to  gather  wood  for  fuel.  At  the  first  opportunity, 
the  pen-holder  changed  hands',  and  the  captain  made  a  bee 
line  for  a  pine  thicket,  through  which  he  traveled  four  or 
five  miles,  when  he  reached  a  swamp.  He  waded  into  it- 
several  hundred  yards,  and  found  a  large  pine  log,  lying- 
out  of  the  water.  Scarcely  had  he  crawled  onto  it,  before 
he  heard  some  one  walking  in  the  water  ;  and  he  thought 
of 'blood-hounds.  Instead,  however,  it  was  Lieut.  Frank 
A.  Lakin,  18th  Indiana,  with  whom  he  had  been  confined 
in  various  prisons,  over  a  year.  As  soon  as  it  was  dark, 
they  started,  going  through  Lexington,  and  marching  all 
night,  entered  another  pine  thicket ;  stopping  near  a  pond, 
they  raked  some  leaves  together,  and  slept  till  near  sunset. 
Then,  washing  in  the  pond,  and  drying  on  the  leaves,  they 
ate  the  corn-bread,  which  was  the  first  morsel  either  had 
tasted  for  24  hours.  At  dark  they  started  again,  and  went 
all  night.  Next  morning  they  caught  a  lamb,  and  killed 
and  dressed  it.  That  evening  they  passed  through  a  sweet 
potato  patch,  which  they  relieved  of  half  a  bushel,  and  a 
little  farther  on  they  borrowed  a  big  wash-kettle  to  cook 
them  in.  Two  more  nights  they  traveled  without  anything 
to  eat,  and  were  on  the  road  the  third  night,  when  they 
came  to  a  large' plantation.  Approaching  a  negro  cabin, 
they  peeped  through  the  chinks,  and  saw  an  old  negress 
spinning.  At  their  knock  the  wheel  stopped  suddenly,  as 
the  old  woman  cried  out, 

"Who  dat?" 

"Friends." 

"Whah  you  want?" 

' '  We  are  Confederate  soldiers ,  and  nearly  starved . ' ' 

"Gemmen,  ye  can't  fool  dis  chile.  You's  Yankees; 
case  I  see  de  buttons  on  dat  jacket." 


ESCAPE    OF    CAPTAIN    RUSSELL    AND    OTHERS.  177 

The  officers  owned  up,  and  soon  a  bountiful  supply  of 
corn-bread  and  sweet  potatoes  was  prepared.  She  also  set 
before  them  a  fine  fat  'possum,  nicely  baked,  which  disap 
peared  in  a  very  short  time.  All  the  darkies  came  in  to 
see  them,  bringing  provisions.  One  volunteered  to  guide 
them  ten  miles.  At  the  end  of  ten  miles,  he  turned  them 
over  to  another  negro,  who  went  five  miles,  and  as  it  was 
near  daylight,  another  took  them  half  a  mile  to  a  dense 
pine  thicket,  where  they  lay  concealed  all  day.  At  night 
the  darkies  came  to  them  with  corn-cake,  fresh  pork,  sweet 
potatoes,  cabbage  and  coffee  ;  a  feast  the  poor  tramps  did 
ample  justice  to.  Going  on  till  they  came  to  Broad  River, 
they  plunged  in,  and  though  the  water  came  to  their  necks, 
they  succeeded  in  crossing.  They  now  felt  safe,  and  talked 
of  the  happiness  of  going  home.  But  the  following  night 
they  were  discovered  by  blood-hounds,  and  surrounded  by 
25  of  the  rebel  chivalry,  armed  with  shot-guns,  knives  and 
clubs.  The  rebels  seemed  to  think  they  had  done  the  most 
gallant  deed  of  the  war ;  and  swore  that  they  would  never 
submit  to  Yankee  rule.  The  prisoners  were  marched  to 
Anderson  court-house,  17  miles  distant,  where  they  were 
kept  five  days.  The  negroes  also  were  anxious  to  see  the 
prisoners.  One  of  them  had  a  violin,  on  which  he  played 
some  lively  airs.  Lieut.  Lakin,  being  a  musician,  played 
"Yankee  Doodle,"  which  delighted  the  darkies.  As  they 
departed,  they  insisted  on  leaving  the  violin  with  the  pris 
oners.  This  aroused  the  curiosity  of  the  prisoners;  and 
making  examination,  they  found  inside  of  the  instrument, 
$39  in  rebel  currency.  The  prisoners  were  sent  back  to 
their  old  quarters  at  Columbia,  which  were  known  by  the 
name  of  "Camp  Sorghum,"  that  was  acquired  on  account 
of  the  rations  issued  there,  consisting  of  two-thirds  of  a 
pint  of  coarse  corn-meal,  grain  and  cob  ground  together, 
unbolted,  and  a  gill  of  sorghum  molasses  for  each  man. 

In  a  few  days   Russell  was  ready  for  a  second  escape . 

With  his  share  of  the  money  taken  from  the  old  violin  at 
12 


178  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Anderson,  he  purchased  salt  and  matches,  and  bribed  a 
guard .  Creeping  for  some  distance  beyond  the  guard-line , 
before  rising,  he  started  off  on  a  dead  run  to  some  bushes ; 
almost  coming  in  contact  with  another  man  ;  both  of  them 
being  scared  almost  out  of  their  wits . 

The  other  man  was  Frank:  Lakin! 

They  started  at  once  for  Knoxville,  but  near  Anderson 
they  met  a  negro,  who  told  them  of  General  Sherman's 
movements,  and  assured  them  that  he  was  "bound  to  take 
Augusta."  The  negro  was  to  start  for  Augusta  next  morn 
ing  with  a  big  wagon ,  and  proposed  to  conceal  them  under 
a  load  of  fodder,  and  take  them  there.  Near  Augusta,  the 
fugitives  left  the  wagon,  crossed  the  Savannah  River,  and 
arrived  at  Millen  next  day  ;  being  directed  continually  by 
the  negroes  along  the  road.  After  many  mishaps,  escapes 
from  blood-hounds,  wet  to  the  skin,  tattered  and  torn,  sore 
and  nearly  exhausted,  they  came  to  a  railroad,  where  they 
found  a  hand-car,  on  which  they  started  at  full  speed  for 
Savannah.  After  going  six  miles,  they  had  to  abandon  it, 
as  the  track  was  torn  up.  They  had  then  eaten  nothing 
for  four  days,  save  two  ears  of  corn,  and  they  reeled  like 
drunken  men,  and  fell  by  the  side  of  the  road,  so  fatigued 
that  sleep  soon  overcame  them.  About  daylight  they  were 
aroused  by  the  drums  in  Sherman's  camps.  They  forgot 
empty  stomachs,  weary  limbs  and  sore  feet ;  and  springing 
up,  they  started  with  light  hearts  for  the  Union  camp.  In 
two  hours  they  reached  the  picket  line  ;  and  language  fails 
to  describe  their  feelings,  as  they  again  beheld  the  glorious 
old  stars  and  stripes. 

On  the  12th  of  February,  there  were  intimations  from 
the  rebel  authorities  at  Columbia,  that  the  Union  prisoners 
would  be  there  but  a  few  days  longer.  On  the  14th,  about 
600  were  marched  to  the  Charlotte  depot,  packed  in  stock 
cars,  and  consigned  to  Charlotte,  North  Carolina.  In  the 
confusion  attending  this  transaction,  Lieut.  A.  C.  Roach 
and  several  others  of  the  Provisional  Brigade,  whose  names 


COLONEL  STREIGHT 's  ESCAPE.  179 

<3ould  not  be  learned,  got  separated  from  the  crowd,  and 
were  reported  ''lost  in  transportation."  They  made  their 
way  to  the  Union  lines  ;  being  aided  in  their  dangerous  un 
dertaking  by  the  darkness  of  a  misty,  moonless  night.  As 
their  previous  experience  was  similar  to  that  of  Captain 
Russell,  their  stories  would  be  repetitions,  possibly  with  as 
great  a  variety  of  personal  horrors  and  sufferings  as  there 
were  individuals. 

The  foregoing  orders,  reports,  dispatches  and  commu 
nications,  with  those  also  that  follow,  are  all  taken  from  the 
Official  War  Records  and  from  Colonel  Streight's  letters  to 
his  wife,  and  are  intended  to  verify  what  has  been  said  rel 
ative  to  the  great  Raid. 

Brig .  Gen.  Wistar,  on  Peninsula,  to  Secretary  Stanton : 

"  YORKTOWN,  Feb.  14,  1864. 

Two  escaped  Union  officers  have  reached  my  pickets  from  Rich 
mond.  They  report  109  more  .on  the  road.  A  general  delivery  of  one 
prison-house  was  effected  by  digging  a  tunnel  under  the  street.  Gen. 
Dow  could  not  stand  the  fatigue  of  the  trip,  and  consequently  did  not 
come.  My  cavalry  are  in  motion,  scouring  the  Peninsula,  to  cover  the 
escape  of  the  rest.  Several  colonels,  among  them  Col.  Streight,  are  on 
the  road  ;  but  the  path  is  hard." 

Wistar  to  Chief  of  Staff  Dept.  Va.  and  N.  C .: 

il  YORK-TOWN,  Feb.  15, 1864. 

Col.  Streight  is  concealed  in  Richmond,  but  at  large.  His  friends 
desire  the  papers  to  state  his  successful  arrival  here,  for  obvious  reasons. 
Please  arrange  it  immediately  with  the  Associated  Press  agent." 

Colonel  Streight  to  Mrs.  Streight: 

"  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  Feb.  29,  1864. 

I  have  succeeded  in  making  my  escape  from  the  enemy.  Am  much 
tired  and  worn  out,  but  my  general  health  is  good,  and  I  will  soon  be  all 
right.  I  shall  re  nain  a  short  time  here.  1  cannot  describe  my 

feelings  of  gratification  at  once  more  being  at  liberty.  I  trust  I  will  never 
again  be  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  our  barbarous  enemies.  I 

cannot  tell  you  now  of  the  many  narrow  chances  I  run  of  being  recap 
tured.  My  feet  are  very  sore,  and  my  legs  are  stiff  and  much  swollen, 
but  I  will  be  all  right  shortly." 

A  great  many  wise  things  were  said,  and  many  were 
the  predictions  made,  by  envious  would-be  leaders,  about 


180  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  foolhardiness  of  the  great  Raid  ;  many  ready  to  say,  "I 
told  you  so  ;  and  each  one  of  these  great  minds  had  a  plan 
by  which  they  would  have  "whaled  the  daylights"  out  of 
Forrest  and  Roddy,  if  they  had  been  in  command  of  that 
expedition  ;  and  they  would  have  torn  a  hole  in  the  map  of 
Alabama  and  Georgia  big  enough  to  empty  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  into.  Yet,  with  all  deference  to  those  able  fellows, 
it  is  not  at  all  likely  that  any  one  of  them  could  have  done 
better,  if  as  well,  under  similar  circumstances.  Doubtless ,. 
however,  there  were  one  hundred  enlisted  men  in  the  Fifty- 
First,  any  one  of  whom,  had  he  been  assigned  to  the  same 
great  duty,  and  been  given  carte  blanche  in  the  matter,  to 
exercise  his  own  judgmen^  in  preparing  for  and  conducting 
the  expedition,  and  had  the  support  and  co-operation  that 
was  promised  to  Streight,  would  have  made  a  magnificent 
success  of  it.  The  great  pity  is  that  "human  foresight  is 
not  nearly  as  good  as  its  hindsight." 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  papers  preserved  from  the 
rebel  archives,  is  the  resolution  adopted  by  the  rebel  Con 
gress,  that  is  intended  to  compliment  the  notorious  military 
trickster  and  colossal  liar,  N.  B.  Forrest,  but  really  magni 
fies  Colonel  Streight 's  expedition  beyond  all  its  friends 
ever  claimed  for  it : 

"  Resolved  by  the  .Congress  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America ^ 
That  the  thanks  of  Congress  are  again  due,  and  are  hereby  tendered,  to 
Gen.  N.  B.  Forrest,  and  the  officers  and  men  of  his  command,  for  meri 
torious  service  in  the  field,  and  especially  for  the  daring,  skill  and  perse 
verance  exhibited  in  the  pursuit  and  capture  of  the  largely  supeuor  forces 
of  the  enemy  near  Rome,  Ga.,  in  May  last.  Approved  Feb. 

17,  1864." 

Forrest  must  have  been  a  very  insignificant  officer,  to 
have  been  honored  with  no  greater  force  than  he  is  credited 
with,  or  we  must  believe  that  the  rebel  Congress  was  very 
ignorant  and  gullible,  and  accepted  fully  the  extravagant 
language  of  Forrest's  lying  report. 

The  following  correspondence ,  which  is  also  taken  from 
the  Official  War  Records,  explains  itself: 


THE    SEVENTY-THIRD    INDIANA    REGIMENT.  181 

Maj.  Gen.  B.  F.  Butler  to  Secretary  Stanton  : 
"  When  Col.  Straight  was  here  I  had  conversation  with  him  in 
regard  to  the  transfer  of  himself  and  regiment  to  this  department.  The 
long  residence  of  himself  and  officers  in  Richmond,  and  their  knowledge 
of  the  city,  will  render  them  invaluable  here  at  some  day,  which  I  hope 
is  not  far  distant.  May  I  ask  that  Col.  Streight's  regiment  be  sent  here  ? ' ' 

Canby,  A.  A.  G. ,  to  B.  F.  Butler  : 

"  WASHINGTON  CITY,  April  5,  1864. 

The  Secretary  of  War  diiects  me  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
•communication  of  the  28th  ult,  requesting  that  Col.  Streight  and  his 
regiment  might  be  transferred  to  your  department,  and  to  inform  you  in 
reply  that  he  cannot  consistently  grant  .your  request  at  present." 

SEVENTY-THIRD    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

[From  Adjutant  General  Terrell's  Report,  Vol.  2,  p.  681.] 
"  On  the  10th  of  April,  1863,  the  regiment  was  assigned  to  Col.  A.  D. 
Streight's  'Independent  Provisional  Brigade,'  organized  and  mounted 
for  the  purpose  of  penetrating  the  enemy's  country,  and  cutting  his  com 
munications.  Embarking  at  Nashville  on  steamers,  it  moved  down  the 
Cumberland,  and  up  the  Tennessee  River,  disembarking  at  Eastport, 
Miss.  The  brigade  was  mounted  by  impressments  from  the  country,  and 
moved  by  land  by  Tuscumbia,  Ala.,  in  company  with  Gen.  Dodge's 
division  of  the  16th  Army  Corps.  On  the  28th  of  April,  the  brigade  left 
Tuscumbia,  on  its  perilous  expedition.  Gen.  Dodge's  division  was  to 
have  co-operated  by  a  movement  eastward,  but  failed  of  success.  On  the 
morning  of  the  30th  of  April,  at  Day's  Gap,  Ala.,  the  brigade,  number 
ing  1,500,  was  attacked  by  4,000  cavalry,  under  Forrest  and  Roddy.  The 
73d  occupied  the  left  flank  of  the  line  formed,  and  gallantly  repulsed  a 
fierce  charge  of  the  enemy,  some  of  whom  charged  within  twenty  feet 
of  its  colors.  The  whole  brigade  then  charged  the  enemy's  line,  and 
drove  him  from  the  field,  capturing  2  fine  pieces  of  artillery.  The  brig 
ade  at  once  pushed  southward,  to  execute  its  mission  ;  but  the  enemy, 
having  collected  his  scattered  cavalry,  overtook  and  attacked  the  brigade 
late  in  the  afternoon,  at  Crooked  Creek,  Ala.  A  spirited  engagement 
was  kept  up  until  night  closed  the  battle,  with  a  loss  to  the  73d  during 
the  day  of  23  killed  and  wounded.  The  enemy,  however,  was  repulsed 
with  a  heavy  loss. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  the  brigade  was  again  attacked,  at  Blount's  Farm, 
Ala.  The  73d  bore  the  brunt  of  this  fight,  and  here  the  gallant  Col.  Gil 
bert  Hathaway  fell  mortally  wounded,  while  at  the  head  of  and  cheering 
on  his  men.  On  the  3d  of  May,  Col.  Streight  being  nearly  out  of  ammu 
nition,  and  exhausted  by  five  days'  incessant  traveling  and  skirmishing, 
and  surrounded  by  superior  forces,  surrendered  his  brigade  to  the  enemy, 
at  Cedar  Bluffs,  Ala.,  on  most  honorable  conditions,  which,  after  surren 
der,  were  basely  violated  by  the  enemy.  The  men  were  soon  forwarded 


182  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

north  and  exchanged.  The  officers  were  kept  in  close  confinement  nearly 
two  years,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  who  were  specially  exchanged  or 
escaped. 

The    men  of  the  regiment   were   kept  in    parole  camp  for  several 
months,  and  then  sent  to  Tennessee." 

THE     DETACHMENT    "AT    THE    FRONT." 

Just  before  the  Fifty-First  started  on  the  Raid,  the 
writer  of  this  book  was  detailed  as  assistant  to  Capt.  John 
W.  Aughe,  of  the  40th  Indiana,  A.  A.  I.  G.  on  General 
Wagner's  staff,  and  arrived  at  Murfreesboro  on  Saturday, 
April  11,  1863.  He  remained  there  till  the  exchanged  por 
tion  of  the  regiment  returned  to  the  front,  at  Chattanooga, 
when  he  rejoined  his  company.  In  consequence  of  this, 
his  experience  embraces  all  that  was  common  to  the  men  of 
Wagner's  brigade,  which  included  many  more  of  the  Fifty- 
First,  as  will  be  seen  further  on. 

In  the  latter  part  of  June,  Wagner's  2d  Brigade,  1st 
Division,  21st  Army  Corps,  to  which  the  detachments  of 
the  Fifty-First  in  the  field  were  attached,  broke  camp  at 
Murfreesboro,  and  proceeded  to  Chattanooga,  by  way  of 
Manchester  and  Pelham,  down  the  beautiful  Sequatchie 
Valley,  and  over  Walden's  Ridge.  The  private  notes  of 
the  writer  detail  his  own  personal  experience  in  entering 
Chattanooga  and  establishing  the  first  picket  lines,  and  in 
witnessing  and  participating  in  the  famous  battles  of  Look 
out  Mountain,  Chicamauga  and  Missionary  Ridge,  and  are 
of  little  interest  in  this  particular  connection.  A  few  of 
these,  however,  are  deemed  necessary  in  order  to  "complete 
the  roundness  of  the  organic  unity"  of  the  Fifty-First,  as 
Van  Home's  history  attributes  to  the  Department  of  the 
Cumberland  as  the  cause  of  the  4th  Corps  going  to  Texas. 

August  30,  1863,  found  Wagner's  brigade  on  Walden's 
Ridge,  a  rocky  range  extending  from  the  north  side  of  the 
Tennessee,  about  8  miles  northwest  from  Chattanooga,  to 
the  head  of  Sequatchie  Valley,  80  or  90  miles  northeast. 
Here  all  the  Fifty-First  boys,  except  the  writer,  with  Capt. 


A    WAR    TROPHY.        MOSES.  183 

Haley  in  command,  started  for  Indianapolis,  to  join  the 
regiment  ;  going  with  a  wagon  train  to  Stevenson,  50  miles, 
and  thence  by  railroad.  In  a  few  days  more  Wagner's 
brigade  advanced  upon  Chattanooga,  the  battery  shelling 
the  town.  Next  day  the  town  was  deserted  by  the  rebels. 
Captain  Aughe,  Inspector,  and  Hartpence,  his  assistant, 
rode  8  miles  up  the  river,  to  a  ford,  where  Colonel  Wilder 
was  crossing  with  his  mounted  infantry  ;  coming  down  on 
the  other  side  to  the  city.  In  this  way  the  Fifty-First  was 
represented  among  the  very  first  to  enter  that  city.  And 
further,  the  first  picket  line  established  in  front  of  Chatta 
nooga  by  the  Union  army,  was  located  in  person  by  this 
same  inspector  and  assistant,  on  Wednesday  afternoon, 
September  9,  1863. 

A    WAR    TROPHY. 

Henry  Watterson,  now  editor  of  the  Louisville  Courier 
Journal,  was  at  this' time  publishing  the  Chattanooga  Rebel, 
and  had  his  office  in  a  little  dingy  second-story  room  on  the 
east  side  of  Main  street.  He  had  come  there  from  Cincin 
nati,  where  he  was  a  sort  of  dramatic  editor  on  the  Times. 
The  Times  was  a  Republican  organ,  and  Watterson  was  a 
Democrat,  with  political  aspirations  ;  so  he  packed  his  kit, 
and  moved  to  Nashville,  and  then  to  Chattanooga,  where 
he  started  a  regular  sensational  blood-thirsty  rebel  sheet. 
When  the  Union  forces  entered  that  city,  he  hastily  loaded 
his  office  in  a  wagon,  and  went  along  with  the  rebel  army, 
printing  his  little  paper  at  irregular  intervals.  In  his  hur 
ried  departure  he  forgot  a  few  unimportant  articles,  among 
them  a  composing-stick,  a  little  steel  box-like  instrument 
used  by  printers  to  set  type  in.  The  writer,  familiar  with 
its  use,  captured  it  as  a  trophy  of  war  ;  and  observing  the 
unities,  every  line  of  this  book,  up  to  this  point,  has  been 
set  in  that  stick . 

MOSES. 
We  had  with  us  an  old  negro,  an  ideal  "Uncle  Tom." 


184  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

He  cooked  for  one  of  the  headquarters  messes,  and  did  odd 
chores .  He  was  a  good  old  man ,  and  very  religious  ;  and 
said  he  had  been  a  Baptist  preacher.  He  could  not  read  a 
word,  but  had  learned  a  great  many  passages  of  Scripture, 
after  a  style ,  by  hearing  others  read  or  quote  them .  Oft- 
times  the  boys  would  gather  around  him  in  the  evening, 
and  start  him  off  on  the  subject  of  religion.  He  would 
take  it  up  with  great  earnestness,  and  became  eloquent  as 
he  warmed  to  it.  The  following  is  a  sample.  It  was  taken 
verbatim  at  the  time  of  delivery,  and  read  to  the  old  man  ; 
and  he  declared,  "dat's  kerect,  an'  jes'  as  it  wus  delive'd 
unto  me  :" 

"Foh  God  so  lub'd  de  wul,  dat  He  made  de  wul  in  six 
days,  an'  all  things  dar-in.  Now  God  am  a  jes'  God,  an' 
He  will  do  jestice  by  ebery  one  ob  He  chillun,  fum  de  small- 
es'  to  de  greates'.  Ef  day  will  ony  come  to  Him  wid  insin- 
ceriousness  ob  heart,  He  will  hoveh  'em  in  de  holler  ob  His 
han'  as  a  hen  'd  hoveh  her  brood.  Foh  He  so  lub'd  de  wul, 
dat  He  made  de  wul  in  six  days,  an'  all  de  things  dar-in. 
Now,  ye  caint  see  dis  as  I  sees  hit,  case  ye  ain't  been  whah 
I's  been.  I's  been  away  up  yandeh,  on  de  oder  side  ob  de 
riber  Jawdan,  an'  I's  tasted  ob  de  hidden  manual,  an'  I's 
had  my  name  wrote  down  in  de  Lamb's  Book  ob  Life.  Foh 
I  seed  de  Lo'd  write  it  down  on  He  ve'y  knee.  I  went  ober 
de  riber,  an'  I  crost  on  de  benches  whah  was  put  ober  by 
de  angels  in  de  wite  roves.  Dere  I  seed  de  Lo'd,  He  who 
is  de  ony  fo'gotten  Son.  Now  ye  caint  see  dis,  case  ye  is 
all  sinnehs,  an'  is  in  de  dawkness  ob  sin,  an'  I  kin  see  all 
ye  sins.  Foh  de  light  shines  in  de  dawkness,  an'  de  dawk- 
ness  comperhendest  de  light  not.  An'  I  hab  eahs  to  heah, 
an'  to  heah  not.  I  heah  not  wo't  de  debil  say,  but  I  heahs 
wot  de  Lo'd  say  ;  an'  I  heah  de  sweet  music  ob  His  voice, 
an'  de  fine  siiigin'  ob  de  angels  in  de  wite  roves  ;  an'  dey 
sing  dese  words  : 

1  Now,  de  ve'y  nex'  blessin  dat  Mary  bar>, 
'Tvvus  de  blessin'  oh  two  ; 


THE    MORGAN    RAID. 


185 


To  think  dat  her  son  Jesus 

Could  read  de  Bible  thoo. 
He  could  read  de  Bible  thoo, 

Like  Amanuel  an'  glo-ri  be, 
Fatheh,  Son-an'  de  Holy  Ghos' 

Thoo  all  eternilee.' 

Now,  I's  not  got  no  book  lawnin',  imr  cain't  read  'bout 
dis  in  de  Bible  ;  but  it's  dar.  Jes'  look  yeh  Bible,  an'  dar 
it  is  — dar  yo'll  fin'  it.  An'  dar  He  say,  too,  'Behol' !  lo, 
hab  I  come  down  in  dis  sin- 'based  wul,  into  de  vulgah  ob 
dy  Book,  written  to  do  dy  will,  0,  God!'  Now,  ye  is  all 
sin-'based,  an'  de  light  is  not  in  ye.  De  debil  done  got  ye 
a 'ready.  Ye  run  afteh  de  lus'  ob  de  debil,  an'  afteh  de 
weemen,  an'  afteh  gol'  an'  fine  clo's.  But  de  debil  git  ye, 
sho'.  Foh  in  de  great  jedgment  day  ye  will  hab  to  gib  a 
incount  ob  all  de  deeds  w'at's  in  de  body  ;  an'  de  good  will 
be  casted  ober  on  de  right  side,  an'  de  bad  will  be  casted 
on  de  lef  side.  Now,  I's  a  Babtis',  an'  I  knows  de  road. 
Well,  I's  wande'd  fum  de  paf,  but  I  knows  whah  it  is.  I 
was  'ticed  by  de  weemen,  an'  de  lus'  ob  de  debil,  an'  I  fo'- 
got  to  look  on  de  Fatheh.  Oh,  weemen  is  de  fruit  ob  all 
evil !  I  knows  it  fum  sperience.  Now,  right  ober  heah  da 
wus  a  man  whuh  lub  a  woman,  an'  wanted  to  git  married 
to  her;  an'  dey  wouldn'  let  him  go  home  ;  an'  so  he  jis' 
got  desput,  an'  went  an'  shot  hese'f  thoo  wid  a  pistil,  case 
dey-all  wouldn'  let  'im  exert  (desert)  an'  go  home.  Dat's 
on 'count  ob  de  weemen.  Tend  011  it,  ye  mus'  let  dese 
bad  things  'lone,  an'  look  on  de  Fatheh,  an'  pray  to  Him. 
Foh  He  is  a  jes'  God,  an'  a  good  God,  an'  ye  mus'  pray  to 
Him  an'  His  on'y  fo 'gotten  Son.  Foh  God  so  lub'd  de  wul, 
dat  He  made  de  wul  in  six  days,  an'  all  things  dar-in.' 

THE    MORGAN    RAID. 

When  the  Fifty-First  and  the  73d  Indiana  regiments 
reported  at  Indianapolis  for  duty,  they  were  sent  to  Camp 
Carrington,  and  placed  under  the  command  of  Capt.  D. 
W.  Hamilton,  of  the  7th  Indiana,  then  in  command  of  the 


186  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    RECUMENT. 

camp,  who  proceeded  to  form  the  two  regiments  into  com 
panies,  all  together  forming  one  regiment  of  500  able  for 
duty.  The  infamous  "Democratic  Mass  Convention"  was 
held  there,  and  the  guerrilla  John  Morgan  thought  it  an 
auspicious  time  to  make  a  raid  through  Indiana  and  Ohio, 
and  our  command  was  there  in  time  to  join  in  the  chase 
after  the  chivalrous  mob,  and  to  aid  in  holding  the  copper 
heads  in  check.  The  two  arch-traitors,  Tom  Hendricks 
and  Dan  Voorhees,  had  matured  the  scheme  of  having  a 
grand  rally  at  the  capital,  on  June  24,  1863,  release  the 
rebel  prisoners  at  Camp  Morton,  seize  the  arsenal,  arm  the 
rebels,  kill  Governor  Morton,  and  then  march  to  meet  John 
Morgan,  who  was  then  in  Kentucky,  and  had  started  on 
his  infamous  raid.  On  the  night  of  June  23,  Capt.  Hamil 
ton  was  ordered  to  take  the  regiment  at  midnight,  and 
march  as  quietly  as  possible  to  the  arsenal  grounds,  located 
on  Market  street,  just  north  of  the  old  State  House,  which 
was  surrounded  by  a  high  board  fence,  where  the  soldiers 
could  not  be  seen  by  those  on  the  streets.  There  they  laid 
on  that  24th  of  June,  and  through  the  cracks  of  the  fence, 
saw  that  traitorous  mob  gather  by  thousands,  in  the  State 
House  yard,  and  listen  to  the  speeches  of  their  leaders, 
display  their  butternut  breastpins  and  other  traitorous  em 
blems,  and  swagger  and  strut,  and  heard  them  perfecting 
their  murderous  plans.  Our  boys  could  only  communicate 
in  whispers  or  in  pantomime.  While  these  speeches  were 
being  made,  two  of  our  boys  who  had  been  at  home,  had 
returned,  and  not  finding  the  command  in  camp,  started 
out  in  search,  taking  their  guns  with  them.  In  the  rounds 
they  brought  up  in  the  State  House  yard,  with  fixed  bayo 
nets.  While  going  through  the  crowd,  one  of  them  sawr  a 
butternut  breastpin  on  the  breast  of  one  of  the  traitors ,  and 
with  one  clutch  snatched  it  off,  at  the  same  time  knocking 
the  miscreant  down  with  his  fist.  This  of  course  created  a 
great  commotion.  The  immense  crowd  of  cowardly  curs, 
seeing  guns  with  bayonets,  and  supposing  that  they  were 


THK     MORGAN     RAID. 


187 


surrounded  by  an  army,  were  struck  with  horror.  The 
panic  which  ensued,  cannot  be  described.  They  made  one 
wild  tumultuous  rush  east,  falling  over  each  other  in  trying 
to  scale  the  low  plank  fence  that  enclosed  the  yard  ;  the 
pressure  being  so  great,  that  the  posts  were  broken  off  near 
the  ground,  and  the  fence  thrown  flat,  from  Market  street 
to  Washington. 

While  this  wild  scene  was  being  enacted,  the  speakers 
on  the  stand  turned  deathly  pale  with  fear,  and  being  near 
a  window  of  the  State  House,  slipped  quickly  through  it, 
ran  along  the  corridor  north  to  Market  street,  across  that 
street ;  then  turning  east,  they  sneaked  along  the  fence  be 
hind  which  our  boys  were  concealed.  Our  boys  were  wild 
to  get  over  the  fence  after  the  fleeing  scoundrels,  and  it  was 
all  Capt.  Hamilton  could  do  to  restrain  them,  running  up 
and  down  the  line  with  drawn  sword,  making  all  sorts  of 
gestures,  but  not  daring  to  speak  out.  So  those  two  chief 
traitors  narrowly  escaped,  though  well  deserving  death. 

The  butternut  breastpin  was  given  to  Capt.  Hamilton, 
who  retained  possession  of  it  in  1894. 

The  great  mob  of  traitors  hurried  to  their  trains,  but 
recovered  from  their  scare  too  soon  ;  for,  thinking  that  the 
danger  was  over,  they  began  firing  off  their  pistols.  This- 
was  the  signal  for  what  is  known  in  history  as  the  "Battle 
of  Pogue's  Run." 

In  a  day  or  two  after  this,  Captain  Hamilton  received 
an  order  to  take  the  regiment  and  proceed  by  railroad  to 
Louisville,  Ky.,  and  report  to  General  Boyle,  as  guerrilla 
John  Morgan  was  said  to  be  near  that  city  with  his  raiders. 
When  the  regiment  arrived  there,  they  found  the  citizens 
greatly  excited.  General  Boyle  sent  our  command  out  on 
the  Bardstown  pike  about  two  miles,  with  orders  to  throw 
out  strong  pickets ,  and  hold  the  pike  at  all  hazards .  They 
held  the  pike,  but  Morgan  failed  to  pu.t  in  an  appearance. 
After  lying  there  one  day,  our  boys  were  directed  to  cross 
the  Ohio  River  to  New  Albany,  and  proceed  to  Edwards- 


188  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

ville,  five  miles  below  that  city.  There  they  were  held  till 
Morgan  had  plenty  of  time  to  cross  the  river.  Our  com 
mand  was  anxious  to  pursue  him,  and  harass  his  flanks, 
but  was  not  permitted.  After  Morgan  had  got  under  fair 
headway,  our  command  was  ordered  to  Jeffersonville ,  to 
report  to  General  Manson .  Here  they  were  put  on  a  trans 
port,  and  steamed  up  the  river,  in  company  with  five  other 
boats  loaded  with  Union  troops .  The  aim  was  to  travel  up 
the  river  as  fast  as  Morgan  was  going  on  land,  while  Gen. 
Hobson  pressed  him  in  the  rear ;  also  to  prevent  him  from 
recrossing  the  river,  which  he  was  making  a  great  effort  to 
do,  since  he  had  learned  of  Dan  Voorhees  failure  to  mate 
rialize  with  his  100,000  "butternut"  traitors,  promised  to 
the  South. 

Right  here,  it  may  be  confidently  said  that  this  raid 
made  more  Union  men  of  Democrats,  than  anything  that 
had  occurred  since  the  war  began . 

Proceeding  to  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  our  men  were  taken 
from  the  transports,  and  put  on  cars  and  run  back  into  the 
country,  to  intercept  Morgan,  and  strike  him  on  his  flank  ; 
but  lie  had  passed  the  point  where  they  aimed  to  strike, 
and  Hobson 's  men  were  just  coming  up.  Taking  the  cars 
again,  they  returned  to  Portsmouth.  Next  morning  word 
came  that  Morgan  had  surrendered  ;  and  thus  the  chase 
ended. 

Smallpox,  or  varioloid,  having  broken  out  among  the 
Fifty-First,  General  Manson  ordered  Captain  Hamilton  to 
re-embark  and  proceed  at  once  to  Cincinnati,  and  report  to 
General  Burnside.  This  was  done,  and  General  Burnside 
ordered  our  command  to  go  to  Madison,  and  there  go  into 
quarantine.  The  sick  were  sent  to  a  hospital  a  few  miles 
below  Madison,  and  the  rest  of  the  regiment  returned  to 
Indianapolis. 

Captain  Hamilton  was  then  directed  to  take  command 
at  Camp  Morton,  and  to  use  the  Fifty-First  to  guard  rebel 
prisoners  in  that  place.  In  a  few  hours  Morgan's  men  be- 


SIEGE    OF    CHATTANOOGA.  189 

gan   to  arrive,   and  were  added  to  those  already  confined. 

During  their  stay  at  this  place,  the  Fifty-First  showed 
their  appreciation  of  Captain  Hamilton's  interest  in  their 
welfare,  by  presenting  him  with  a  handsome  sword.  The 
captain  had  the  sword  in  1894,  still  nicely  preserved,  and 
he  prized  it  very  highly.  The  73d  boys  gave  him  a  fine 
horse  and  saddle,  which  he  preserved  till  old  age  took  the 
faithful  animal  to  the  pastures  green  prepared  for  all  good 
horses . 

The  origin  of  "Whar's  Morgan?"  was  in  a  little  inci 
dent  that  occurred  one  night,  in  Southern  Indiana,  during 
this  chase  after  the  guerrillas.  C.  P.  Cox  and  Allen  God 
frey  were  together,  and  the  former  having  tarried  too  long 
at  the  apple-jack,  about  midnight  he  was  stretched  out  on 
some  brush,  feeling  like  he  could  clean  out  the  whole  rebel 
army,  and  calling  out, 

"Fry,  Fry  !  whar's  Mawgan?  I  can  whup  'im  !"  This 
became  a  by-word,  and  was  afterward  communicated  to  the 
entire  corps. 

SIEGE    OF    CHATTANOOGA. 

In  the  latter  part  of  September,  1863,  the  troops  at 
Chattanooga  began  to  experience  distress  for  food.  Their 
"cracker-line"  was  disturbed  by  rebel  guerrilla  bands.  It 
was  pitiful,  to  see  the  hungry  boys,  whenever  the  wagon 
trains  came  in  from  Stephenson,  with  a  meager  supply  for 
that  great  army,  watching  for  every  bit  of  cracker  as  big 
as  their  finger-nail  that  might  be  dropped  in  unloading, 
and  holding  their  hats  under  the  wagon  to  catch  whatever 
might  fall ;  following  forage  wagons  for  squares  with  the 
hope  that  an  ear  of  corn,  or  a  few  grains  even,  might  be 
jolted  out.  Horses  and  mules  were  dying  daily  from  starv 
ation,  while  hundreds  that  survived  were  unfit  for  service. 
It  is  estimated  that  10,000  animals  died  during  this  siege. 
A  secret  conference  was  held  one  night,  at  Gen.  Wagner's 
headquarters,  of  the  corps  and  division  commanders,  at 


190  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

which  the  writer  was  present.  It  was  then  discovered  that 
in  no  command  was  there  a  mouthful  of  food,  except  what 
was  in  the  men's  haversacks,  save  that  of  General  Wood, 
and  that  was  only  three  days'  rations.  This  condition  was 
relieved  at  long  intervals,  by  half  or  quarter  rations,  ac 
cording  to  the  success  or  failure  of  our  supply  trains  in 
getting  through.  This  continued  till  the  capture  of  Look 
out  Mountain  and  the  valley  reopened  transportation . 

BATTLE    OF    MISSIONARY    RIDGE. 

The  battle  of  Lookout  Mountain  was  witnessed  by  the 
members  of  the  Fifty-First  at  Chattanooga,  and  was  a  mag 
nificent  spectacle.  They  did  not  participate  in  it,  how 
ever,  nor  in  the  bloody  struggle  at  Chicamauga.  They  did 
take  part  in  the  most  important  event  of  the  campaign,  the 
famous  charge  on  Missionary  Ridge,  and  Wood's  division 
won  for  itself  special  glory  on  that  day.  On  this  account, 
it  will  not  be  inappropriate  to  insert  a  description  of  that 
battle,  as  it  appeared  in  the  Nashville  Union  of  Sunday, 
November  29,  written  on  the  26th,  the  day  after  the  fight : 

"The  operations  of  the  army  in  front  of  this  place,  during  the  last 
three  days,  have  been  not  only  of  a  brilliant,  but  of  a  decisive  charac 
ter.  Hitherto  we  had  struggles—bitter,  stubborn  and  bloody  ;  but  when 
the  tragedy  had  ended,  the  combatants  retained  their  organizations,  and 
too  frequently  their  positions.  But  not  so  in  this  instance.  With  tho 
exception  of  the  Mississippi  campaign,  this  is  the  first  time  that  a  rebel 
army,  with  comparatively  trifling  loss  to  our  own,  has  been  demoralized, 
broken,  crushed. 

Sherman,  having  arrived  at  a  point  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Chica 
mauga,  and  four  miles  above  the  town,  the  orders  were  issued,  and  the 
p-an  of  attack  made  known  to  the  corps  commanders,  and  each  directed 
to  execute  his  portion  strictly  in  accordance  with  it. 

The  first  object  was  to  deceive  the  rebels.  Sherman  made 

a  feint  of  moving  up  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  as  if  to  attack  Long- 
street,  and  relieve  Burnside,  while  the  Eleventh  Corps  was  moved  into 
Chattanooga.  Simultaneously  with  these  movements,  and  on  the  eve  of 
the  23(1,  our  lines,  opposite  the  rebel  right  and  right  center,  were  extended 
three-quarters  of  a  mile,  and  beyond  the  outer  line  of  rebel  rifle-pits, 
which  were  captured,  with  three  hundred  prisoners,  by  a  brilliant  and 
unexampled  dash  of  Hazen's  and  Willich's  brigades  of  Wood's  division, 
of  the  4th  Army  Corps.  Our  loss  in  this  skirmish  w^s  slight,  while  the 


BATTLE    OF    MISSIONARY    RIDGE.  191 

positions  gained  were  of  the  highest  importance.  From  thence  the  foot 
of  Missionary  Ridge  was  plainly  visible,  and  the  nature  of  the  ground 
readily  ascertained.  The  enemy  was  completely  deceived  by  the  happy 
combination  of  strategy. 

From  Fort  Wood,  on  the  east  of  Chattanooga,  the  movements  of  the 
rebels  could  be  distinctly  seen  with  glasses.  The  movements  in  this  di 
rection  had  been  completed  at  dark,  and  the  rebels  lay  upon  their  arms 
for  the  night,  confidently  expecting,  if  not  a  general  engagement,  at  least 
a  severe  skirmish  at  daylight  of  the  24th.  But  they  were  seriously  dis 
appointed.  No  sooner  had  darkness  set  in,  than  Ewirig's  and  Osterhaus' 
divisions  of  Sherman's  corps,  and  a  part  of  Cruft's  division  of  the  Fourth 
Corps,  which  had  been  supposed  to  be  engaged  in  other  duties,  filed  along 
the  foot  of  Lookout  Mountain,  and  took  up  a  position  to  make  an  attack 
on  the  following  morning. 

The  rebels  did  not  discover  the  arrival  of  these  reinforcements  until 
about  midnight;  and  by  that  time  it  was  too  late  to  reinforce  their  left. 
At  7  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Geary's  division  crossed  the  creek,  and  be 
gan  the  ascent  of  the  mountain.  Their  progress  was  at  first  seriously 
resisted  ;  but  an  incessant  shower  of  shot  and  shell  from  our  batteries  on 
the  hights  so  gallantly  won  by  Hooker  some  weeks  ago,  soon  had  the 
effect  to  drive  them,  and  to  enable  our  columns  to  swing  around  and 
sweep  the  whole  western  slope,  from  the  ledge  to  the  foot. 

The  rebels,  for  at  least  two  miles,  resisted  every  loot  of  our  progress, 
from  behind  rifle-pits,  rocks  and  trees;  but  having  been  driven  to  a  point 
nearly  opposite  the  railroad  bridge,  when  Osterhaus  commenced  ascend 
ing  the  Ridge,  the  rebels  finding  themselves  utterly  overpowered,  fled 
precipitately  and  in  confusion.  The  guns  from  our  batteries  played  upon 
them  with  terrific  effect;  and  hundreds  threw  down  their  arms,  and  sur 
rendered  themselves  prisoners. 

In  the  meantime  Sherman  had  crossed  the  river  on  the  night  of  the 
23d,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Chickamauga,  and  on  the  24th  he  occupied 
and  fortified  one  of  the  knobs  at  the  northern  terminus  of  Missionary 
Ridge;  and  Howard's  llth  Corps  had  been  moved  to  the  left,  to  effect  a 
junction.  This  was  accomplished  with  slight  skirmishing,  and  compar 
atively  little  loss,  and  our  lines  were  rendered  solid  from  left  to  right. 

During  the  night  of  the  24th,  Ewing's  division  crossed  from  Lookout 
Mountain,  and  joined  Sherman. 

The  morning  of  the  25th  found  both  armies  preparing  for  action.  It 
was  apparent  that  the  conflict  would  be  no  longer  delayed.  Ere  the  sun 
disappeared,  the  great  struggle— not  for  Chattanooga  merely,  but  East 
Tennessee,  would  be  decided.  In  proportion  to  the  importance  of  the 
stake,  would  be  the  stubbornness  of  the  struggle. 

At  10  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Sherman  made  a  feint  on  Tunnel  Hill, 
an  important  position  from  which  Missionary  Ridge  could  be  raked  at 
any  point  within  cannon  shot.  The  charge  lasted  an  hour,  in  which  a 
number,  say  150,  were  killed  and  wounded.  General  Corse  fell  dead  gal- 


192  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

lantly  fighting  at  the  head  of  his  column,  and  Col.  Loom  is  received  a 
slight  wound.  Our  forces  then  fell  back  to  the  rifle-pits. 

Believing  this  to  be  a  real  assault,  the  rebels  continued  to  mass  their 
forces  in  that  direction;  and  to  confirm  their  opinions,  large  bodies  of 
troops  were  moved  from  the  camps  at  Chattanooga,  through  an  opening 
into  the  Tennessee  Valley,  in  full  view  of  Bragg's  headquarters,  as  if  in 
tended  to  reinforce  Sherman  ;  and  then  having  reached  a  thick  growth 
of  timber,  they  were  countermarched  and  placed  in  the  woods,  opposite 
the  rebel  center. 

At  noon  a  second  attack  on  Tunnel  Hill  was  ordered,  and  Matthias' 
brigade  charged  up  the  hill.  Having  nearly  reached  the  summit,  they 
were  met  by  a  superior  force  of  the  enemy,  and  a  fight  of  three  quarters 
of  an  hour  ensued.  A  flank  movement  on  the  part  of  the  rebels,  at 

length  compelled  them  to  break,  and  a  disorderly  rout  ensued.  The  reb 
els  pushed  on  with  vigor,  and  captured  200  prisoners,  who  were  afterward 
retaken. 

.After  this  movement,  a  thundering  sound  from  the  Parrots  and  Rod 
mans  in  Fort  Wood,  announced  the  commencement  of  the  contest  in  the 
center.  Our  columns,  which  had  hitherto  been  concealed  behind  the 
underbrush  which  skirts  the  eastern  side  of  the  Chattanooga  valley,  now 
pushed  out,  presenting  a  bold  and  solid  front  to  the  enemy.  This  move 
ment  was  designed  to  break  the  rebel  center,  arid  the  task  was  assigned 
to  Generals  Baird,  Wood,  Sheridan  and  Johnston,  whose  divisions  were 
posted  from  left  to  right,  in  the  order  named. 

Opposite  the  center  were  posted  forty  pieces  of  cannon,  in  eight  com 
manding  positions,  and  it  was  made  the  duty  of  one  brigade  to  charge 
upon  and  capture  each  battery.  The  interval  between  the  timber  and 
the  front  of  the  mountain  was  soon  passed,  but  the  ascent  was  a  matter 
of  great  difficulty.  The  sides  of  the  hill  were  exceedingly  steep,  and 
covered  with  loose  rock,  and  many  places  with  briars  and  underbrush  ; 
and  as  a  consequence,  one  could  scarcely  reach  the  summit  uninjured. 
But  our  brave  heroes  neither  halted  nor  faltered,  though  exposed  to  the 
fire  of  the  whole  line  of  infantry,  on  the  summit  of  the  ridge,  and  all  the 
batteries  in  front  of  them,  and  a  raking  fire  from  Tunnel  Hill  which  did 
frightful  execution.  Steadily,  however,  they  proceeded ;  each  brigade 
vieing  with  its  rivals  in  the  effort  to  be  the  first  to  place  the  old  standard 
upon  the  spots  desecrated  by  the  rebel  ensign. 

They  were  half  way  up.  The  deadly  missiles  thickened  around 
them  ;  but  onward  they  went;  they  nearly  reached  the  top;  the  artillery 
could  no  longer  be  used  against  them ;  the  bayonets  of  the  rebels  were 
fixed,  and  a  hand  to  hand  struggle  commenced. 

At  length  a  shout  was  heard,  and  a  thrill  of  horror  ran  through  the 
rebel  ranks;  the  heart  of  every  loyal  man  beat  high  ;  the  79th  Indiana 
regiment  had  planted  its  banner  upon  the  summit  of  the  ridge  ! 

The  strong  arms  of  the  assailants  were  nerved  to  renewed  efforts; 
their  bold  spirits  incited  to  greater  deeds  of  daring.  Further  suspense 


LIEUT. -COL.  JOHN    M.  COMPARE!?'.  193 

was  but  momentary;  one  long,  loud  and  hearty  shout  arose;  and  all  was 
over.     Missionary  Ridge  was  ours!" 


LIEUT. -COL.  COMPARET'  TAKES  COMMAND. 

At  some  time  in  November,  1863,  Lieut  .-Col.  John  M. 
Comparer',  of  the  15th  Indiana,  then  at  Chattanooga,  was 
ordered  to  proceed  to  Nashville,  and  prepare  for  the  field 
the  Fifty-First,  which  had  been  sent  there  some  time  pre 
vious,  but  was  unfit  to  go  to  the  front,  because  our  officers 
were  mostly  in  Libby  Prison  yet. 

The  weather  was  cold  when  Lt.-Col.  Comparer'  started 
from  Chattanooga,  accompanied  by  Lieut.  Benj.  Owens,  of 
Co.  E,  57th  Indiana.  The  road  had  been  opened  as  far  as 
Bridgeport,  Tenn.  There  they  took  a  car  for  Nashville; 
where,  in  company  with  the  adjutant  of  the  post,  the  new 
commander  went  out  to  see  the  boys.  Walking  leisurely 
through  the  camp,  the  officer,  who  was  not  very  tall,  over 
heard  one  of  the  boys  inquire,  "Is  that  little  cuss  going  to 
command  the  regiment?"  He  paid  no  attention  to  this, 
save  to  be  amused  ;  and  seeing  the  condition  of  things,  he 
took  immediate  command,  and  proceeded  to  put  the  regi 
ment  in  order,  so  as  to  be  prepared  to  march  at  a  moment's 
notice.  They  were  first  fitted  out  in  all  things  pertaining 
to  a  campaign  —  a  train  of  wagons  and  mules,  ten  teams, 
and  the  men  properly  equipped.  Soon  a  telegram  came 
from  Gen.  Jos.  Reynolds,  General  Thomas'  chief  of  staff, 
directing  the  new  commander  to  proceed  to  Knoxville,  with 
supplies  for  General  Burnside.  The  order  stated  the  num 
ber  of  wagons ,  and  included  a  squadron  of  cavalry  ;  but  it 
was  countermanded,  and  the  regiment  was  finally  ordered 
to  Chattanooga,  there  to  join  a  brigade  to  which  it  would 
be  assigned.  The  command  started  immediately;  making 
fine  marches  by  way  of  Murfreesboro,  Shelby ville,  Tulla- 
homa  and  Bridgeport,  thence  over  Walden's  Ridge.  The 
boys  were  in  fine  condition,  and  all  as  merry  as  a  picnic 
party.  Sometimes  the  woods  and  hills  re-echoed  witli  the 

13 


194  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

strains  of  "John  Brown's  Body,"  "Rally  Round  the  Flag," 
etc.  The  march  was  divided  into  rests  of  from  ten  to  fif 
teen  minutes  each  hour,  and  H  hours  at  noon,  with  good 
camps  at  night, 

One  day  one  of  the  boys  came  walking  into  camp  with 
a  nice  pig  impaled  on  his  bayonet.  It  was  not  long  before 
a  poor  widow,  who  lived  near  by,  made  her  way  to  regi 
mental  headquarters,  and  reported  the  case.  The  soldier 
was  ordered  to  carry  it  back,  and  pack  it  for  her.  "And," 
continued  the  kind-hearted  little  lieutenant-colonel,  "if  she 
hasn't  any  salt,  get  some!"  The  order  was  obeyed,  too. 
When  the  boys  came  to  realize  the  character  of  their  com 
mander,  they  stood  up  to  him  faithfully. 

The  command  made  an  average  of  20  miles  per  day, 
and  reached  Chattanooga  just  after  the  battle  of  Mission 
ary  Ridge  ;  about  December  10.  In  a  few  days  after,  they 
were  ordered  to  join  their  corps.  There  were  a  number  of 
convalescents  of  the  various  regiments  there,  and  they  had 
formed  in  their  various  brigades.  These,  with  the  Fifty- 
First,  were  all  ordered  to  report  to  Col.  Bernard  Laiboldt, 
of  the  2d  Missouri,  who  was  directed  to  guard  a  supply 
train.  Colonel  Laiboldt  took  command,  and  soon  got  his 
forces  strung  out  on  the  road,  and  started  east.  The  first 
halt  was  at  Cleveland,  camping  for  the  night.  About  1 
o'clock  that  night,  Hospital  Steward  Smith  went  to  Corn- 
paret'  and  advised  him  that  they  were  about  to  be  attacked . 
He  had  been  out  visiting  in  the  neighborhood,  and  got  his 
information  from  the  family  of  guerrilla  Wheeler's  quar 
termaster,  who  thought  J.  P.  was  a  spy  for  rebel  Gen.  Joe 
Johnson.  Smith  w^as  sent  to  Colonel  Laiboldt  with  the 
information  ;  and  Col.  Comparet',  without  waiting,  got  the 
regiment  in  line ,  with  skirmishers  out ,  ready  to  receive  the 
enemy.  It  commenced  raining  about  the  same  time,  but 
the  boys  kept  their  places  all  night ;  cooking  breakfast  by 
detail ;  and  vigilant  watch  was  observed  for  the  encounter. 
But  the  johnnies  failed  to  appear. 


BATTLE    OF    CHARLESTON.  195 

Soon  daylight  came,  and  with  it  the  order  to  march. 
Rain  and  mud  !  No  wonder  that  the  old  veteran  now  has 
rheumatism,  and  his  life  is  shortened  many  years.  Long 
exposure,  sunstroke,  rain,  mud,  cold,  ice,  etc.,  were  more 
than  enough  to  bring  down  those  of  the  best  health  to  the 
grave. 

BATTLE    OF    CHARLESTON. 

On  the  night  of  December  26,  they  reached  Charleston, 
on  the  Hiawassee  River,  and  camped  along  a  ridge  of  cedar 
brake.  The  rain  had  subsided,  and  the  next  morning  was 
ushered  in  with  beautiful  sunshine  ;  cheering  the  hearts  of 
all  the  boys.  It  soon  became  apparent,  however,  that  a 
fight  was  near  at  hand.  Comparet',  who  was  standing  by 
Laiboldt,  heard  firing  down  the  valley,  and  called  the  com 
mander's  attention  to  it.  He  then  ran  over  the  bridge,  to 
where  the  Fifty-First  was,  and  threw  the  regiment  into  line, 
to  cover  and  protect  the  train.  There  were  with  the  de 
tachment  100  wagons ,  loaded  with  supplies  ;  and  to  secure 
them,  Colonel  Laiboldt  ordered  the  teamsters  to  take  the 
entire  train  down  the  bank  into  the  bottom,  and  make  their 
way  out  as  best  they  could. 

The  valley  was  a  beautiful  one,  about  400  yards  wide, 
and  a  mile  long  ;  a  most  magnificent  view  of  which  might 
be  had  from  where  the  regiment  was. 

The  guerrilla  Wheeler,  with  1,500  men  was  approach 
ing,  with  the  confident  expectation  of  easily  capturing  our 
supply  train.  Soon  the  rebels  came  in  sight.  Wheeler 
had  divided  his  forces,  throwing  some  on  our  right.  Com 
paret'  immediately  dispatched  Co.  A  to  that  part  of  the 
field,  so  as  to  confront  their  movements;  also  Co.  B  was 
sent  to  the  left.  Word  was  sent  to  Colonel  Wilder 's  camp, 
then  at  Calhoun.  All  of  his  command  was  out  scouting; 
but  Col.  Eli  Long,  in  command  of  the  2d  Brigade,  2d  Cav 
alry  Division,  came  to  their  assistance  with  a  few  men.  In 
addition  to  these ,  all  of  our  own  headquarters  orderlies  and 
clerks  were  put  in  ;  and  they  made  a  handsome  line  across 


190  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  valley.  The  bugle  sounded  the  charge  ;  and  the  result 
was  great.  Our  brave  boys  routed  the  enemy,  taking  131 
prisoners,  including  5  officers,  one  a  division  inspector  and 
one  a  surgeon.  The  number  of  killed  and  wounded  could 
not  be  ascertained.  Colonel  Long's  loss  was  2  killed,  12 
wounded,  and  1  missing.  Our  immediate  command  went 
through  the  fight  without  a  casualty,  save  a  few  saber  cuts. 

To  solve  a  seeming  difficulty,  it  is  deemed  necessary  to 
state  here  that  Charleston  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of 
Hiawassee  River,  a  few  miles  east  of  where  that  stream 
empties  into  the  Tennessee,  and  at  a  point  where  the  little 
river  is  crossed  by  the  Knoxville  Railroad.  Calhouii  is  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Hiawassee,  and  is  the  next  station  on 
the  same  railroad.  The  fight  was  at  Charleston. 

Wheeler  commanded  in  person,  and  anticipated  a  rich 
prize,  with  little  trouble  or  loss. 

[Extract  from  Col.  Eli  Long's  Report.] 

"On  the  morning  of  the  28th  [December]  a  wagon  train  which  had 
arrived  at  Charleston  the  evening  before  under  escort  of  Gen. 

Hheridan's  command,  and  commanded  by  Col.  Lai  bold  t,  was  attacked 
by  Gen.  Wheeler  with  about  1,500  rebel  cavalry.  As  soon  as  I  was  made 
aware  of  the  attack,  I  mounted  the  small  portion  of  my  command  not 
on  duty  (less  than  150  men,)  and  as  soon  as  the  train  had  crossed  the 
bridge,  moyed  over  the  river.  Col.  Lai  bold  t  was  now  sharply  engaged, 
and  soon  had  the  enemy's  lines  wavering,  I  then  drew  sabers  and 
charged,  driving  before  me  a  force  of  some  400  or  500;  pursued  them  to 
(.'batata  Creek,  capturing  121  prisoners,  including  5  officers,  and  many 
stands  of  arms.  The  enemy  lost  several  killed  and  quite  a  number 
wounded ;  among  the  latter  2  colonels.  The  main  rebel  column  retreated 
out  the  Dalton  road. 

Our  command  then  resumed  its  line  of  march  ;  going 
into  camp  in  the  neighborhood  of  Calhouii.  On  the  way, 
Laiboldt  stated  to  Comparet'  that  he  had*  sent  Wheeler  a 
message ,  saying : 

"This  day  have  you  been  whipped  by  a  d —  Dutch 
man.  LAIBOLDT,  Colonel  commanding/' 

Next  day  the  command  took  up  its  line  of  march  for 
the  Tennessee  River,  and  arrived  at  London  on  New  Year's 


THE    REGIMENT    GOES    "VETERAN."  197 

day,  with  four  inches  of  snow  on  the  ground,  and  still  fall 
ing.  They  camped  in  the  outskirts  of  the  village,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  a  church  building.  A  detail  was  made  of 
men  and  wagons,  and  they  soon  had  the  snow  removed, 
and  the  boys  all  in  fine  spirits.  They  stayed  there  about 
five  days  ;  long  enough  for  the  boys  to  get  acquainted,  and 
leave  behind  them  regrets .  The  commander  complimented 
the  Fifty-First  boys  on  their  good  behavior,  and  said  they 
were  always  gentlemen,  and  showed  a  disposition  to  en 
courage  neighborly  feeling.  They  made  themselves  such  a 
name,  that  their  return  was  gladly  hailed. 

The  command  crossed  Tennessee  River  on  the  morning 
of  January  6,  1864,  and  marched  toward  Knoxville  ;  where 
the  train  was  turned  over  to  Burnside's  ordnance  officer. 

The  Fifty-First,  now  joined  with  Newton's  brigade, 
of  Sheridan's  division,  continued  with  that  command  to 
Daiidringe,  where  our  boys  had  a  fight  on  Sunday  evening, 
December  20.  After  the  siege  of  Knoxville  was  raised,  it 
went  to  Strawberry  Plains,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  French 
Broad  River,  where  among  other  hardships,  spoiled  flour 
was  issued,  which  had  the  effect  to  make  the  boys  deathly 
sick,  and  set  them  to  vomiting  in  a  few  minutes  after  eat 
ing  the  bread  made  of  it. 

Lilly's  18th  Indiana  Battery  was  also  in  the  fight  at 
Dandridge,  and  did  fine  execution. 

Then  orders  came  to  retrace  their  steps.  Longstreet 
had  fled  the  country,  and  having  seen  him  off,  our  boys 
were  needed  elsewhere.  They  had  a  bad  morning  to  start 
on  ;  during  the  night  before  it  had  rained,  and  froze  as  it 
fell ;  so  that  everything  was  covered  with  a  coat  of  ice . 

THE    FIFTY-FIRST    VETERANIZES. 

They  then  reached  Knoxville,  011  their  return  to  Lou- 
don,  for  winter  quarters.  While  at  Knoxville,  the  Fifty- 
First  took  a  notion  to  re-enlist.  The  order  from  the  War 
Department  was  out,  but  was  not  distinctly  understood  ;  no 


198  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

one  had  seen  it  —  only  heard  of  it.  Lieut  .-Col.  Compared 
sought  information  of  General  Sheridan,  who  commanded 
the  corps,  and  who  was  camped  but  a  short  distance  away ; 
but  found  him  no  better  posted  than  himself.  So  it  was 
concluded  to  wait  patiently  till  the  order  came. 

Arriving  in  London,  on  Friday,  January  7,  1804,  the 
Fifty-First  was  camped  promiscuously  about.  The  second 
day,  in  the  afternoon,  the  regiment  was  ordered  into  line  ; 
and  while  on  the  march,  General  Sheridan  rode  along  and 
directed  that  all  who  desired  to  re-enlist  as  "veterans,"  in 
accordance  with  the  order  promulgated  by  the  War  Depart 
ment,  the  provisions  of  which  he  proceeded  to  explain,  to 
report  under  heavy  marching  orders.  This  was  just  about 
to  be  executed  ;  the  call  was  made  ;  when  almost  the  entire 
regiment  stepped  out.  The  quartermaster  was  dispatched 
to  the  general,  stating  that  if  the  regiment  had  an  oppor 
tunity,  it  would  rather  go  as  an  organization  ;  and  it  would 
be  better .  The  request  was  granted  ;  and  the  next  morn 
ing,  Sunday,  the  regiment  marched  out  of  camp,  with  flags 
waving  and  bands  playing  ;  creating  great  excitement  all 
over  the  camp.  They  were  met  at  the  river  by  an  aid,  and 
requested  to  visit  headquarters  ;  which  was  complied  with. 
The  general  stated  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  let  them 
go  for  a  day  or  two,  on  account  of  rations.  On  Tuesday 
morning,  however,  they  started  for  Chattanooga  ;  and  on 
arrival  there,  reported  to  be  mustered  into  the  "veteran" 
service.  The  non-commissioned  officers,  of  which  the  reg 
iment  had  a  good  staff,  and  also  the  officers,  all  manifested 
great  interest  in  carrying  out  the  orders,  and  in  getting  up 
the  rolls  in  good  style  and  condition.  It  was  a  big  task, 
but  ready  hands  made  quick  work  of  it. 

At  this  point,  Hartpence,  who  had  been  released  from 
the  inspector's  department  at  his  own  solicitation,  rejoined 
the  regiment,  and  was  one  of  the  most  active  workers  ;  his 
ready  pen  having  the  honor  of  filling  out  all  the  "veteran 
discharges"  in  his  own  company,  beside  much  other  more 


GOING    VETERAN. 


199 


important  work.  Captain  Anderson,  who  had  returned  to 
the  front  a  few  days  previous,  also  rejoined  the  regiment 
here,  and* was  very  useful  in  assisting  the  commander. 

The  next  thing  was  the  pay,  accompanied  with  which 
was  to  be  a  thirty  days'  furlough  home.  To  the  writer, 
who  had  been  right  at  the  front  continuously  for  nearly  two 
years  and  a  half,  without  a  sight  of  "God's  country,"  the 
thought  of  going  home  was  inspiration  enough ,  without  the 
additional  honor  that  attached  to  the  title  of  "veteran." 

There  were  probably  as  many  motives  for  re-enlistment 
—  in  addition  to  that  of  patriotism,  pure  and  simple,  as 
there  were  individuals.  With  a  few  it  was  a  "fad,"  that 
they  followed  as  naturally  as  many  did  the  introduction  of 
the  steel  collar.  To  the  writer  it  came  at  a  time  when  his 
heart  was  brimming  with  gratitude  to  God  for  the  recovery 
of  his  brother,  who  was  so  badly  wounded  in  the  battle  of 
Missionary  Ridge,  and  who  he  had  promised,  in  the  event 
of  such  recovery,  to  devote  his  life  to  the  great  cause  of  the 
Union.  Some  hesitated  till  the  example  of  others  carried 
them  over  the  ripple .  Others  held  out  to  the  very  last ; 
and  only  yielded  when  they  saw  the  boys  pack  their  traps, 
and  start  off.  There  was  a  sort  of  heroic  display  in  that, 
they  could  not  resist;  and  hustling  their  stuff  together, 
they  joined  the  jolly  crowd,  as  they  swung  off  to  the  tune 
of  "Johnny  comes  marching  home." 

Those  wrho  remained  behind,  consoled  themselves  with 
the  assuranoe  that  they  "knew  when  they  had  enough;" 
and  in  response  to  the  "good-bye"  of  the  "veterans,"  they 
said,  with  an  attempt  at  cheerfulness,  "Our  turn  '11  come 
before  long." 

Loaded  in  cattle  cars,  reeking  with  vile  odors,  we  min 
gled  the  delectable  perfume  with  our  songs  and  cheers ,  and 
were  happy.  There  were  few  things  that  fell  to  the  lot  of 
soldiers,  which  we  had  not  experienced  ;  and  it  would  have 
taken  a  great  deal  more  to  deter  us  from  our  purpose  now. 
Had  duty  called  in  an  opposite  direction,  not  one  of  that 


200  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

crowd  would  have  hesitated.  That  was  the  sort  of  stuff 
''veterans"  were  made  of.  It  had  required  those  years  of 
severe  testing,  of  disappointment,  heart-break,  fatigue  and 
deprivation,  and  all  the  sympathy  for  each  other  in  mutual 
suffering,  to  bring  them  up  to  that  high  standard  of  per 
fection  ;  and  there  was  in  it  a  rare  exemplification  of  "the 
survival  of  the  fittest."  They  could  always  be  relied  on. 
And  the  Government  recognized  that  fact.  We  were  not 
alone  ;  our  experiences  in  camp,  on  the  march,  011  the  field 
of  battle,  on  picket,  in  bivouac  and  in  prison,  were  similar 
to  those  of  many  thousands,  who  in  the  nobility  of  their 
young  manhood,  underwent  all  those  things  necessary  to 
make  them  veterans.  No  extra  coloring  is  needed,  nor  is 
there  any  exaggeration  in  this  narrative.  Indeed, 

"The  half  has  never  yet  been  told;  " 

nor  will  it  be,  by  the  boys  whose  heroism  and  nobility  of 
manhood  stands  unexampled  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
Think  of  private  soldiers,  just  out  of  school,  or  half  way 
through  their  apprenticeship  in  a  printing  office  or  a  car 
penter  shop,  becoming  such  adepts  in  the  art  of  war,  as  to 
command  great  armies,  and  by  their  masterly  conduct  of  a 
campaign,  to  astonish  the  whole  world  with  their  wonder 
ful  accomplishments  !  Quite  frequently  there  were  privates 
in  the  ranks,  who  were  much  more  capable  of  handling  a 
regiment  or  a  brigade,  than  some  of  those  who  through  in 
fluence  were  assigned  to  such  commands. 

A    MERITED    TESTIMONIAL. 

The  following  paragraph,  which  is  full  of  encourage 
ment  to  all  the  brave  boys  to  whom  it  applies,  is  from  Van 
Home's  History  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  : 

"There  were  now  in  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  a  large  number 
of  re-enlisted  troops.  During  the  winter  and  spring  there  re-enlisted  88 
regiments  of  infantry,  3  of  mounted  infantry,  10  of  cavalry,  18  batteries 
of  artillery,  and  20  detachments  of  all  arms,  and  8,136  recruits  in  the  ag 
gregate  were  added  to  these  organizations  while  on  furlough.  The  im 
portance  of  the  re-enli.stment  of  these  troops  can  not  be  overestimated. 


"GOING     VETERAN.''  201 

Without  them  and  the  "veterans"  of  the  other  two  co-operative  armies, 
the  Atlanta  campaign  could  not  have  been  safely  undertaken ;  the  war 
would  have  been  greatly  postponed,  and  its  issue  might  have  been  differ 
ent.  The  slow  movement  of  the  draft,  and  the  provisional  measure  of 
short  enlistments  could  not  have  furnished  such  troops  as  were  demanded 
in  the  spring  of  18H-1.  Without  the  veterans,  aggression  could  not  have 
been  entertained,  and  the  feeble  armies,  during  the  summer,  might  have 
been  compelled  to  relax  their  grasp  upon  the  heart  of  the  rebellious  states. 
It  is  then  the  plainest  duty  of  the  historian  to  mention  the  regiments  and 
other  organizatioii!!i,  whose  members,  in  whole  or  in  part,  re-enlisted  as 
''veteran  volunteers,"  and  ever  after  bore  the  grandest  name  which  the 
war  originated." 

Then  follows  a  list  of  regiments  and  batteries  whose 
organizations  were  continued  under  re-enlistment ;  and  the 
Fifty-First  takes  its  place  in  the  front  rank . 

As  a  badge  of  honorable  distinction,  "service  chev 
rons"  were  furnished  by  the  War  Department,  to  be  worn 
by  the  "veterans."  This  chevron  consisted  of  a  red  strip 
of  worsted  braid,  about  12  inches  long  and  seven-eighths 
of  an  inch  wide,  on  which  a  strip  of  blue  worsted  braid, 
the  same  length  and  half  an  inch  wide,  was  sewed  ;  this 
was  doubled  in  the  shape  of  a  V,  and  tacked  on  the  left 
coat  sleeve. 

Lieut  .-Col.  Comparet'  called  011  the  paymaster,  and 
told  him  that  if  he  would  give  us  drafts  on  Louisville  or 
Indianapolis,  we  could  draw  our  money  there,  and  the  men 
could  be  paid  at  the  end  of  the  journey.  All  went  well  till 
we  arrived  at  Louisville.  Captain  Anderson  had  been  sent 
ahead  to  procure  the  funds,  but  the  colonel  had  neglected 
to  sign  the  drafts,  which  were  drawn  in  his  name.  This 
was  corrected,  however,  immediately  on  our  arrival  at  Lou 
isville,  and  the  money  was  drawn.  Anderson  was  made 
custodian  of  the  funds,  assisted  by  Lieutenant  Scearce  and 
Captain  Haley.  While  the  officers  were  getting  things  in 
order,  so  that  there  would  be  no  interruption,  when  we  got 
to  Indianapolis,  some  Jews  got  among  the  boys,  and  incited 
some  of  them  to  compel  the  payment  of  the  money  there  ; 
and  when  the  colonel  entered  the  barracks  where  the  regi- 


202  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

merit  was,  two  stepped  forward,  with  bayonets  fixed,  and 
demanded  their  money.  Several  other  soldiers  rushed  to 
the  officer's  defence,  and  taking  possession  of  their  guns, 
put  them  under  arrest.  It  was  pouring  down  rain  ;  but  it 
was  determined  to  get  away  from  there  at  once.  So,  "at 
tention"  was  called,  and  out  into  the  rain  we  glided,  down 
to  the  river,  and  across  to  the  depot.  The  train  was  there, 
waiting  for  us  ;  but  we  had  to  wait  for  our  treasurer.  He 
joined  us  as  the  engine  backed  down  ;  and  soon  we  were  on 
our  "winding  way"  to  the  Hoosier  metropolis.  Colonel 
Comparet'  had  telegraphed  to  Governor  Morton  that  we 
would  be  there  at  1  A.  M.,  and  we  arrived  on  time.  It  was 
cold,  and  snow  covered  the  hills.  The  engineer  gave  us  a 
good  run.  While  the  boys  waited  for  orders,  Lieutenant 
Murray  visited  the  "Soldiers'  Home,"  a  large  frame  struc 
ture  arranged  for  the  accommodation  and  convenience  of 
the  Indiana  soldiers  on  such  occasions.  He  returned  soon, 
reporting  that  all  was  ready  for  us.  The  boys  got  in  line 
and  marched  to  the  "Home,"  where  they  met  a  very  warm 
reception .  Everything  was  cheerful ;  great  stoves ,  red  hot ; 
the  boys  were  served  with  hot  coffee  ;  then  laid  down  and 
rested  till  morning;  when  they  got  out,  washed  up  and  got 
ready  for  business.  In  the  meantime,  Comparet'  and  An 
derson  had  gone  to  the  Occidental  Hotel,  on  the  southeast 
corner  of  Washington  and  Illinois  streets,  and  secured  a 
room  ;  where  the  officers  in  command  of  companies  were 
summoned  to  meet  at  7  A.  M.,  with  their  pay-rolls.  Then 
payment  was  begun,  Anderson  and  Murray  disbursing  the 
money.  The  money  for  each  company  was  handed  to  its 
commander,  and  he  in  turn  disbursed  it  to  the  men.  As 
the  paying-off  proceeded,  the  colonel  busied  himself  with 
getting  furloughs  and  transportation.  Soon  the  boys  were 
paid  off,  and  had  their  furloughs  ;  and  the  colonel  had  so 
dated  the  papers,  as  to  give  the  boys  three  days  more  than 
they  were  entitled  to. 

Governor  Morton  had  inaugurated  a  system  of  "recep- 


GOVERNOR  0.  P.  MORTON 


RECEPTION    AND    ''VETERAN"    FURLOUGH.  203 

tions,"  which  contributed  very  much  to  the  gratification  of 
the   loyal  heart  of  the   people,   and   the  encouragement  of 
returning  soldiers.     On  the  arrival  of  a  regiment,  or  any 
regular  organization  of  troops,   a  public   dinner  was   pre 
pared,  and  the  regiment  to  be  received  was  escorted,  with 
appropriate  music,  and   other  demonstrations,  to  the  Capi 
tal  grounds,  or  some  public  hall,   where  patriotic  speeches 
were  made,   praising  the  brave  boys,  and  welcoming  them 
home.     These  occasions  were  always  enlivened  and  greatly 
enhanced  by  the  presence  of  large  numbers  of  ladies,  who 
did  their  best  to  serve  the   gallant   boys  with  the  delicious 
things  on  the  tables,  meanwhile  engaging  with  them  in  an 
imated  conversation.     Songs   were   frequently  introduced, 
and   clubs  and   choirs  often  favored  the  soldiers  with   fine 
programs  of  patriotic  selections,  alternating  with  a  cornet 
band.     On  these  occasions  the  venerable  Col.  James  Blake 
.uniformly  presided,   and   acted  as  chief  marshal.     The  in 
fluence  of  that  scene  is  not  forgotten  by  the  comrades,  nor 
how  greatly  the  bronzed  veterans  were  recompensed  for  all 
their  hardships  and  privations,  in  these  evidences  that  the 
toilsome  marches  and  hard-fought  battles  were  appreciated 
and  valued  by  loyal  hearts  at  home.     Many  a  one  returned 
to  duty  with   fresh  courage  and  renewed  determination  to 
perform  his  part  faithfully  and  well,  till  the  last  armed  foe 
expired. 

Next  day  we  had  a  reception,  tendered  by  Governor 
Morton  ;  after  which  we  turned  over  our  arms  and  accou- 
terments  and  regimental  colors,  and  marched  back  to  the 
"Home"  parade  ground,  where  we  formed  a  hollow  square. 
In  this  Lieut  .-Col.  Compare!'  took  a  position,  and  made  a 
ringing  speech  to  the  boys  ;  complimenting  them  on  their 
gentlemanly  conduct,  and  the  success  that  had  attended 
their  present  trip  thus  far,  and  admonishing  them  to  pre 
serve  the  excellent  reputation  they  had  won.  The  fellows 
who  had  threatened  him  at  Louisville,  then  came  forward, 
and  in  a  very  contrite  manner,  acknowledged  their  error, 


204  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

and   bogged   his   pardon;   which  was  readily  granted,  and 

"All  went  merry  as  a  marriage  bell." 

The  work  was  done,  and  the  Fifty-First  scattered  for 
home;  while  other  regiments,  that  had  been  there  three 
days,  were  not  yet  disbanded. 

RETURN    TO    THE    FRONT. 

Few  of  us  realized  before  how  strong  were  the  ties  that 
bound  the  soldiers  to  their  homes.  It  required  no  ordinary 
courage  and  unselfish  patriotism,  to  part  with  the  loved 
ones,  with  no  assurance  of  meeting  them  again  on  earth. 
And  it  required  all  the  integrity  of  a  true  heroine,  to  send 
forth  from  the  pleasures  of  home  and  the  joys  of  domestic 
life,  for  the  toils  and  privations  and  hardships  of  war,  the 
men  and  boys  who  were  dearer  than  life  itself.  Its  results 
were  ofttimes  more  than  human  heart  could  endure.  Dr. 
Kirkbridge,  in  his  report  of  the  insane  asylums  of  Penn 
sylvania,  at  that  time,  notes  an  enormous  number  of  fe 
male  patients,  whose  insanity  was  caused  solely  by  the  loss 
of  relatives  in  war.  This  was  doubtless  equally  true  of  all 
the  loyal  States.  To  the  encouragement  received  from  the 
loyal  women,  may  be  credited  very  much  of  the  noble  de 
termination  that  characterized  each  veteran. 

We  had  learned  patience  in  many  ways,  during  the 
long  delay  of  the  consummation  of  our  enthusiastic  hopes. 
We  had  learned  to  endure  the  sorrow  and  trial  and  hard 
ship  and  exposure  and  mean  insult  and  indignity  ;  for  we 
felt  that  this  was  essential  to  the  grand  baptism  and  new 
birth  which  our  Nation  was  to  experience. 

"  As  flake  by  flake  the  beetling  avalanches 

Bind  up  their  imminent  crags  of  snow, 
Till  some  chance  thrill  the  loosened  ruin  launches, 

And  the  blind  havoc  leaps  unarmed  below  : 
So  grew  and  gathered  through  the  silent  years, 

The  madness  of  a  people,  wrong  by  wrong;  " 

Till,  in  a  moment  of  despair,  every  element  of  loyalty  and 
patriotism  and  humanity 


"VETERANS"  RETURN  TO  THE  FRONT.  205 

"  Leapt  up,  with  one  hoarse  yell,  and  snapt  its  bands!  " 
A  wag  remarks  that,   according  to  his  recollection,  it 
was  not  exactly  a  "one-horse  yell,"  neither,  nor  was  it  pre 
cisely  in  the  nature  of  a  "snap,"  especially  for  the  rebs. 

When  our  time  expired,  we  all  came  together  at  Indi 
anapolis,  and  repaired  to  the  seat  of  war  ;  being  already 
assigned  to  duty  at  Chattanooga,  under  command  of  Gen 
eral  Steedman,  to  whom  Lieut  .-Col  Comparet'  reported. 

A    TRAMP    ACROSS    THE    COUNTRY. 

On  their  arrival  at  Nashville,  it  was  found  impractica 
ble  to  go  farther  by  railroad  ;  the  road  being  cut  in  several 
places,  and  menaced  by  a  number  of  guerrilla  bands.  So, 
without  much  delay,  they  proceeded  on  foot  over  the  same 
route  taken  only  a  few  months  before.  The  march  was  not 
so  agreeable  as  on  the  first  occasion,  there  being  a  great 
deal  of  rain,  sleet,  snow  and  mud.  When  they  came  to 
Walden's  Ridge,  the  wagons  had  to  be  unloaded,  and  their 
contents  carried  to  the  top. 

On  his  leaving  home,  W.  B.  Gibson's  old  mother  had 
put  into  his  knapsack  four  or  five  pounds  of  maple  sugar. 
While  engaged  in  getting  the  wagons  up  the  mountain,  he 
laid  his  knapsack  where  he  thought  it  was  perfectly  safe. 
He  certainly  must  have  left  his  sugar-poke  exposed,  how 
ever,  as  when  he  returned,  it  wras  gone.  Some  person  had 
stolen  it.  0,  how  he  swore  !  He  could  do  that  beautifully 
then.  John  P.  Smith  called  him  over  to  where  Comparet', 
Al.  Harris,  Lon.  Smith,  himself  and  some  others  were  at 
supper,  and  asked  him  what  was  the  matter. 

"Some  un  taken  my  sugar  ;  'n'  I  can  whip  him  on  less 
ground  'n  he  can  stand  on  !" 

John  P.  dipped  up  a  cupful  of  something  out  of  a  ket 
tle,  and  offered  it  to  him.  As  soon  as  he  took  one  sip,  he 
exclaimed  : 

"There's  my  sugar  now,  Johnny  !" 

But  he  didn't  whip  anybody,  for  the  sugar  was  neatly 


206  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

surrounded  by  a  gallon  or  more  of  hospital  brandy,  and 
the  whole  crowd  got  happy  as  lords  over  it.  Which  proves 
that  maple  sugar  will  intoxicate. 

Charley  Cox  didn't  want  to  inarch;  and  wasn't  in  a, 
hurry  to  get  back  anyhow.  He  had  plenty  of  money,  and 
wanted  to  have  a  good  time.  So,  he  obtained  a  fine  flask 
of  liquor;  and  by  a  judicious  distribution  of  it,  secured  a 
pass  to  Hewlett's  station  on  the  Louisville  railroad.  He 
overcame  the  difficulty  presented  by  the  bridge  guards ,  by 
showing  a  big  "official"  envelop,  which  he  had  picked  up 
somewhere,  and  which  the  officer  had  not  time  to  examine. 
At  Rowlett's,  he  exchanged  his  blue  suit  for  that  of  a  col 
ored  citizen,  (a  former  slave  of  Cox's  father,)  walked  12 
miles  east  to  his  father's  home,  stayed  one  day  and  night, 
returned  to  Rowlett's,  traded  back  with  the  darkey,  took 
the  next  train  for  Nashville,  got  with  John  Parker,  hired 
citizens'  suits  for  both,  and  "bummed"  around  there  for  a 
week  ;  then  they  put  on  their  own  suits,  got  aboard  a  train, 
and  were  in  Chattanooga  by  the  time  the  regiment  was 
fairly  settled  in  camp  there. 

Immediately  on  our  arrival  at  Chattanooga,  our  regi 
ment  was  detailed  to  inaugurate  the  National  Cemetery  at 
that  place,  and  to  remove  the  dead  comrades  from  where 
they  had  been  placed,  in  the  vicinity  of  Chicamauga  and 
Missionary  Ridge  battle-fields.  It  may  not  be  generally 
known,  but  is  nevertheless  true,  that  the  Fifty-First  broke 
the  ground  and,  from  plans  furnished  by  the  War  Depart 
ment,  laid  off  that  cemetery,  which  is  acknowledged  to  be 
one  of  the  finest  institutions  of  that  character  in  the  land. 

THE  "THIMBLE  SOCIETY." 

One  of  the  most  gratifying  experiences  of  our  army 
life,  and  one  that  served  wonderfully  to  soften  the  asperi 
ties  of  our  unnatural  existence,  was  the  occasional  receipt 
of  substantial  tokens  of  love  and  patriotic  admiration  from 
the  loyal  girls  at  home.  Sometimes  it  was  a  box  filled  with 


THE    "THIMBLE    SOCIETY."  '207 

socks,  handkerchiefs,  needles,  pins,  thread,  mittens,  cakes, 
butter,  letter  paper,  envelops,  ink  and  such  other  articles 
as  the  boys  so  badly  needed  ;  inclosing  also  a  letter  from 
the  sender  —  mother,  sister,  aunt  or  sweetheart.  Then  a 
shout  would  go  up,  as  all  the  fellows  of  his  "mess"  would 
gather  around  the  happy  recipient,  to  see  the  box  opened, 
and  perhaps  get  a  taste  of  its  contents.  A  great  deal  of 
literature  was  sent  in  this  way  to  the  boys  in  hospital ;  and 
many  a  grateful  heart  blessed  the  thoughtful  women  and 
girls  up  in  "God's  country,"  for  the  magazines  over  which 
the  sufferers  spent  many  a  lonely  hour. 

In  the  battle  of  Missionary  Ridge,  Walter  Hartpence, 
of  the  79th  Indiana,  and  a  brother  of  the  writer,  was  very 
badly  wounded  ;  and  it  was  the  good  fortune  of  the  latter, 
to  be  permitted  to  combine  with  his  military  duties,  that  of 
nursing  the  wounded  comrade  and  brother.  One  day  a 
bundle  of  magazines  was  received  and  distributed  among 
the  boys  of  that  ward,  which  was  in  the  cottage  directly 
north  of  the  old  Baptist  church  in  Chattanooga,  and  that 
was  occupied  by  General  Wagner  while  he  was  commander 
of  that  post.  Among  these  magazines  was  a  copy  of  the 
Atlantic  Monthly,  and  on  it  was  written,  in  a  delicate  hand, 
"From  the  'Thimble  Society,'  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Nettie  Marsh, 
Vice  Pres."  On  the  fly  leaf  of  the  same,  or  another  of  the 
same  lot,  a  little  pencil  sketch  informed  the  reader  that  the 
"Thimble  Society"  consisted  of  twelve  young  girls  in  the 
city  of  Buffalo,  whose  object  was  to  aid  in  any  way  they 
could  in  contributing  to  the  comfort  of  suffering  soldiers. 
A  brief  letter  of  thanks  was  returned  from  the  boys,  also 
describing  their  condition  and  hopefulness.  At  the  same 
time  a  similar  letter  was  addressed  to  Miss  Hat-tie  Brown, 
whose  name  appeared  on  another  magazine,  but  having  no 
reference  to  the  "Society."  The  following  is  the  reply  : 

"  BUFFALO,  Jan.  27  '64 
Dear  Friend : 

I  received  your  letter  with  mingled  gratitude  and  surprise. 
Little  thought  I  as  I  wrote  that  small  article  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly,  I 


208  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA     REGIMENT. 

should  ever  receive  an  answer  to  it.  We  were  all  gratified  to  hear  that 
our  work  had  done  some  good  to  the  poor  suffering  soldiers.  My  friend 
Hattie  Brown  received  a  letter  from  you  a  short  time  ago,  and  we  had  a 
fine  time  reading  them  at  the  Society,  which  met  at  the  President's,  Miss 
Jennie  White's  house.  The 'Society  send  their  thanks  for  the  dollar  that 
you  so  kindly  sent  us,  and  which  helped  to  increase  the  weight  of  our 
money  box.  There  is  to  be  a  great  "central  fair"  here,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  "sick  and  wounded  soldiers."  It  is  to  commence  on  Washington's 
Birthday,  and  last  a  week.  I  suppose  it  will  be  a  grand  affair. 
If  you  ever  receive  this  letter,  and  think  it  worth  while  to  answer  it,  will 
you  describe  a  battle  to  me?  What  do  you  think  of  this  war?  Do  you 
think  it  will  ever  end?  I  most  sincerely  hope  it  will.  Our 

society  is  called  the  "Thimble  Society." 

"  Thimble  Society"  Members. 

Jennie  White,  President.  Nettie  Marsh,  Vice  President. 

Carrie  Burnham,  Treasurer. 

Sarah  Burrows,  Delia  Litch worth, 

Julia  Burrows,  Julia  Vougt, 

Hattie  Brown,  Minnie  Vougt 

Emma  Butman,  Kittie  Wilber, 

Minnie  Wilber.  Your  friend, 

NETTIE." 

"WHAT'S  IN  A  NAME?" 

One  of  the  humorous  features  of  our  camp  life,  that 
was  formed  from  long  familiarity  with  each  other,  was  the 
substitution  of  nicknames  ;  arid  so  complete  was  that  in 
many  instances,  that  the  real  name  of  the  individual  was 
scarcely  known  to  any  person  except  the  orderly  sergeant, 
whose  duty  it  was  to  call  the  roll  and  make  details.  In  Co. 
C,  for  instance,  Stephen  Hilton  was  known  as  "Billy  Cat," 
Joseph  Brown  as  "Wolf,"  Charles  Newnam  as  "Squirrel," 
John  Wells  as  "Goose,"  Howard  Pike  as  "Fish,"  David 
Thompson  as  "Weasel,"  W.  F.  Hadden  as  "Big  Jig,"  and 
J.  T.  Dinwiddie  as  "Little  Jig;"  J.  F.  McKinley  answered 
to  "Brute  F.,"  and  Jonathan  Peterson  was  contracted  to 
"Jonty  Pete."  The  same  thing  existed  in  all  the  other 
companies.  "Boss"  Ferguson  would  hardly  have  known 
who  you  meant,  if  lie  was  addressed  as  Sebastian,  the  good 
old  Spanish  name  his  mother  gave  him  ;  nor  would  Jere 
miah  Richeson  respond  to  anything  else  than  "Mother." 


NICKNAMES. 

The  name  of  "Kyesickle  McGunsky,  Co.  B,"  appears 
among  a  list  of  men  from  the  Fifty-First,  buried  in  Crown 
Hill  Cemetery,  at  Indianapolis,  but  careful  search  through 
the  Adjutant  General's  Report  has  failed  to  show  such  a 
name.  It  is  most  likely  a  nickname  by  which  the  comrade 
was  known,  and  was  so  reported. 

And  there  was  "Petty"  — Pettigrew,  of  Co.  G,  a  veri 
table  "son  of  the  sod,"  who  was  always  ready  to  buoy  the 
drooping  spirits  of  a  homesick  comrade.  He  was  always 
ready  for  a  bit  of  a  joke,  too,  no  matter  at  whose  expense. 
While  passing  through  Pulaski,  the  streets  of  which  were 
lined  with  people  of  every  shade  of  color,  he  indulged  in  a 
little  pleasantry,  directed  at  Comrade  Black,  of  the  same 
company  ;  which  the  women  and  children  took  up,  and  cre 
ated  such  a  happy  excitement,  that  every  one  forgot  his 
fatigue  and  discomfort ;  while  the  darkies  on  the  sidewalks 
jumped  and  danced,  and  shouted,  "God  bress  Massa  Lin- 
kum  an'  his  sojers  !" 

"Little  Jig"  was  a  good  soldier  ;  but  he  had  a  way  of 
doing  and  saying  things  that  was  strictly  original.  When 
he  received  notice  from  the  orderly  that  he  was  detailed  as 
ordnance  sergeant  at  brigade  headquarters,  he  caught  his 
breath  ;  then  replied  : 

"Well,  I  jist  wisht  you'd  hush!  I  ain't  no  such  a 
thing." 

"Yes  ;  get  on  your  things,  and  report." 

"Naw,  I  won't  do  no  such  a  thing.  What  do  I  have 
to  do?" 

"Just  take  charge  of  the  guards  of  the  ammunition 
train." 

"Jig"  reconsidered  his  decision,  and  went.  Next  day 
we  got  hasty  marching  orders  ;  and  the  colonel  began  to 
hurry  up  all  hands,  to  get  out  on  the  road  as  soon  as  pos 
sible.  At  the  ordnance  camp,  the  teamsters  were  having  a 
"picnic"  with  a  lot  of  intractable  mules,  that  persisted  in 

tying  themselves  up  in  all   sorts  of  shapes.     "Jig"  was  an 
14 


210  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

artist  in  that  line.  He  had  a  strong  voice,  beautifully 
adapted  to  that  calling  ;  and  the  rhythmic  vernacular,  as  it 
found  its  way  into  the  inner  consciousness  of  those  mules, 
was  electrifying  in  its  effect.  Going  at  once  to  the  relief 
of  the  muleteers,  he  soon  evoked  order  out  of  chaos,  and 
started  the  happy  drivers  on  their  winding  way. 

But  his  new  position  soon  brought  him  to  grief.  Bob 
Hall,  who  was  at  the  time  wagon-master,  got  into  trouble 
at  the  very  next  piece  of  bad  road,  and  having  a  poor  hand 
with  one  of  the  teams,  ordered  "Jig"  to  get  up  and  drive. 

"I'll  not  do  it,  fer  you  nor  nobody  else." 

Just  then  the  colonel  came  along  ;  and  not  thinking  of 
his  being  a  sergeant,  nor  the  indignity  offered  in  such  a 
requirement,  seconded  the  demand  of  the  wagon-master. 
He  met  with  a  like  refusal,  which  was  steadily  adhered  to  ; 
and  another  driver  had  to  be  found  for  the  unruly  team. 
The  result  was,  the  sergeant  was  reduced  to  the  ranks  as 
soon  as  he  came  to  camp.  This  was  a  very  unjust  act  on 
the  part  of  the  colonel ;  as  it  humiliated  and  discouraged 
a  good  and  efficient  soldier,  while  it  only  stimulated  the 
petty  tyranny  of  the  wagon-master. 

In  March,  1864,  Col.  Streight  was  enjoying  his  "leave 
of  absence"  following  his  escape  from  the  rebel  prison,  and 
was  making  speeches  in  Indiana. 

Our  reorganization  at  the  time  of  our  final  return  to 
Chattanooga,  was  with  the  2d  Brigade,  2d  Division,  4th 
Army  Corps,  which  included  the  following  regiments  : 

Maj.  Gen.  Gordon  Granger,  Commanding  Corp*. 

Maj.  Gen.  Phil.  H.  Sheridan,  Division. 

Brig.  Gen.  Geo.  D.  Wagner,  Brigade. 

100th  Illinois,  Major  Charles  M.  Hammond. 
15th  Indiana,  Col.  Gustavus  A.  Wood. 
Major  Frank  White. 
Capt.  Benj.  F.  Hegler. 
40th  Indiana,  Lieut  .-Col.  Elias  Neff. 
51st  Indiana,  Lieut  .-Col.  John  M.  Comparet'. 


A    STORM    IN    CAMP.  211 

57th  Indiana,  Lieut  .-Col.  Geo.  W.  Lennard. 
58th  Indiana,  Lieut  .-Col.  Jos.  Moore. 
26th  Ohio,  Lieut. -Col.  Wm.  II .  Young. 
97th  Ohio,  Lieut  .-Col.  Milton  Barnes. 
About  April   30,  1864,  the   Fifty-First  was  transferred 
to  the  "Separate  Brigade  of  the  E to wah,"  Brig.  Gen.  Jas. 
B.  Steedman  commanding,  including  the  following: 
15th  Indiana,  Col.  G.  A.  Wood. 
29th  Indiana,  Lieut. -Col.  David  M.  Dunn. 
44th  Indiana,  Lieut. -Col.  Sim.  C.  Aldrich. 
51st  Indiana,  Lieut  .-Col.  J.  M.  Comparet'. 
68th  Indiana,  Lieut  .-Col.  Harvey  J.  Espy. 
8th  Kentucky,  (5  comp's,)  Capt.  John  Wilson. 
3d  Ohio,  Capt.  Leroy  S.  Bell. 
24th  Ohio,  Lieut  .-Col.  Armstead  T.  Cockerill. 
About  the  1st  of  May,  many  of  the   boys  were   begin 
ning  to  get  interested  in  the  development  of  vaccination, 
that  had  been  ordered  about  a  month  previous  ;   the  writer 
had   a  splendid  case,   which  subsequently  proved  to  have 
been  accomplished  with  impure  virus,  and  had  to  be  burnt 
out  with  lunar  caustic.    John  Gasper  and  James  Griggs,  of 
Co.  C,  also,  who  were  vaccinated  from  his  arm,  came  near 
losing  their  left   arms,   which   swelled   up  to   two  or  three 
times  their  usual  size. 

A    STORM    IN    CAMP. 

On  the  24th  of  May,  while  nearly  everybody  was  laid 
up  with  vaccination,  we  experienced  a  most  terrific  wind 
and  rain  storm .  The  elements  got  on  a  regular  tear  ;  and 
for  a  day  or  two  it  was  hard  to  tell  which  end  of  the  world 
was  up,  or  for  one  to  swear  to  his  identity  at  all. 

The  day  had  been  beautiful  —  one  of  unusual  loveli 
ness.  Old  Sol  had  risen  in  all  his  majestic  splendor,  and 
kissing  the  bright  dew-drops  on  the  millions  of  tiny  plants , 
strode  up  to  the  meridian  like  a  fresh  adjutant  in  his  new 
uniform  on  dress  parade .  Up  to  this  stage  everything  was 


212  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

"o.  k."  Lying  extended  on  our  home-made  couches,  our 
feet  elevated  at  an  angle  of  90°,  our  right  hands  chiefly 
employed  in  brushing  away  the  festive  blue-tail  fly,  that 
persisted  in  pestering  our  vaccination  —  earth  all  this  time 
trying  to  observe  its  regular  motions,  we  did  not  anticipate 
trouble . 

Have  you  seen  the  enraged  tiger  spring  from  his  lair, 
as  though  he  would  crush  everything  visible,  imaginable 
or  hypothetical,  beneath  his  ponderous  paws,  or  tear  it  into 
shreds  with  his  merciless  fangs?  That  is  a  feeble  compar 
ison  to  the  occasion  referred  to.  With  an  overwhelming 
savage  power,  yet  with  awful  grandeur,  it  came,  bursting 
suddenly  from  the  silent  valleys  and  the  rugged  liights  of 
Lookout  and  Walden.  Great  black  ugly  threatening  clouds 
loomed  in  the  hollows  of  the  air,  the  lightning  flashed,  the 
thunder  bellowed  ;  while  a  dense  mass  of  inky  frowning  sky 
hurled  itself  down  on  us  without  a  moment's  warning  ;  and 
away  went  our  earthly  possessions.  As  the  winds  jostled 
against  eacli  other,  they  lifted  the  sacred  curtains  and  loose 
boards  of  our  sanctums  sanctorum,  carrying  off  the  entire 
stock,  credits  and  assets,  with  the  mad  fury  of  a  demon. 

It  was  beautiful  and  grand  ;  but  we  were  not  in  a  mood 
to  absorb  its  spirit,  nor  to  even  contemplate  it  unbiased. 
It  might  have  been  an  amusing  sight  to  a  disinterested  wit 
ness —  one  gust  of  wind  after  another  skurrying  through 
our  dog-tents,  ripping  off  the  roof,  emptying  bucketfuls  of 
water  over  books,  papers,  blankets  and  guns,  with  boards, 
bricks,  camp  equipage,  etc.,  flying  around  in  wildest  disor 
der.  But  it  wasn't  to  us.  Our  guns,  which  had  just  been 
brightened  up  for  inspection,  came  lumbering  down  across 
our  necks,  rapping  us  into  a  most  distressing  condition  of 
impatience. 

Then  it  suddenly  disappeared,  and  there  was  a  great 
calm.  The  sun  came  out  in  splendor,  brightening  nature, 
that  had  just  washed  its  dusty  face,  with  a  pretty,  dazzling 
smile  that  was  really  fascinating.  But  this  did  not  much 


COL.  STREIGHT    TAKES    COMMAND    AGAIN. 

ameliorate  our  forlorn  condition.  All  was  rack  and  ruin. 
Herculaneum  and  Pompeii  in  all  their  glory  were  not  ar 
rayed  like  this. 

Such  experiences  were  common,  however,  and  we  had 
to  just  get  used  to  them.  We  all  became  philosophers. 

June  came  on  us  so  hot  that  it  seemed  like  Fahrenheit 
was  fairly  exhausted.  The  Hies  tortured  us  by  day,  and 
the  gallinippers  by  night.  It  was  a  rare  pleasure  to  get  out 
in  the  cool  of  the  dawn,  and  stroll  off  toward  Missionary 
Ridge,  with  its  masses  of  giant  trees  waving  their  shaggy 
heads  in  the  winds,  their  vernal  hangings  glittering  and 
glistening  in  the  bright  morning  sunshine,  their  aged  and 
battle-scarred  trunks  heaving  and  sighing  mournfully,  as 
though  they  were  telling  of  the  many  young  lives  that  had 
gone  out  beneath  their  ample  spread,  whose  blood  was  thus 
mingled  —  patriot  and  traitor  —  to  fertilize  the  lovely  wild- 
wood  flowers,  with  whose  delicious  perfumes  the  whole  air 
was  redolent. 

COL.  STREIGHT    RETURNS    TO    THE    REGIMENT. 

About  the  latter  part  of  June,  1864,  Colonel  Streiglit 
returned  to  the  front,  and  reported  for  duty  ;  and  turning- 
over  the  command  to  him,  Lieut  .-Col.  Comparet'  reported 
to  his  own  regiment,  whose  three  years'  term  had  expired, 
and  who  were  awaiting  orders  for  home.  Comparet'  had 
greatly  endeared  himself  to  the  Fifty-First,  and  it  was  with 
sincere  regret  that  we  bade  him  farewell.  In  speaking  of 
his  connection  with  our  regiment,  years  afterward,  he  said  : 
"All  the  time  I  was  in  command  of  the  regiment,  was  one 
of  pleasure  and  joyful  event.  Our  marches  and  camp  life 
will  always  be  remembered  by  me,  and  the  men,  as  a  body, 
were  gentlemen,  and  were  obedient  in  all  respects.''  And 
in  his  farewell  remarks  to  them,  he  said,  with  deep  feeling  : 

"My  dear  and  gallant  old  comrades,  these  events  form 
a  bright  page  in  the  volume  of  your  historic  regiment,  and 
of  vour  lives  in  the  defence  of  vour  country  and  your  flag. 


214  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

May  your  memory  never  wither,  and  may  the  name  of  each 
be  enrolled  as  the  heroes  and  defenders  of  our  Nation." 

RAILROAD    GUARDS. 

During  the  summer  of  1864,  a  detachment  from  the 
Fifty-First  Avas  sent  to  the  depot  yard  in  Chattanooga,  to 
take  charge  of  and  guard  all  railroad  passenger  trains  run 
ning  to  Knoxville.  The  first  detail  was  commanded  by 
Lieut.  Roman  Salter,  of  Co.  K.  This  detail  was  relieved 
June  13,  by  another,  commanded  by  Lieut.  J.  N.  Brown, 
of  Co.  G,  and  including  W.  R.  Hartpence,  "Doc"  Chites- 
ter,  Francis  M.  Piper,  John  Charles,  \Vm.  Tout,  Amos 
Warrick,  and  a  number  of  others,  whose  names  got  away. 
Hartpence  acted  as  conductor  of  the  train,  while  the  lieu 
tenant  looked  after  the  ladies  and  children,  and  examined 
passes .  This  lasted  till  November  8 ,  when  the  detachment 
was  relieved,  and  ordered  to  report  to  the  regiment.  This 
experience  was  one  of  great  danger  and  risk  ;  and  the  boys 
witnessed  a  great  deal  of  the  inside  life  of  loyal  Tennessee- 
ans  and  their  disloyal  neighbors.  Their  hearts  were  often 
touched  by  scenes  of  sadness  and  distress.  Knoxville  was 
at  that  time  in  a  state  of  desolation  ;  having  been  overrun 
by  both  armies.  It  wTas  surrounded  by  green  ponds,  and 
almost  devoid  of  herbage,  and  presented  a  most  disgusting 
appearance.  The  boys  were  alwTays  glad  to  get  awray  from 
it.  Along  the  route,  however,  were  several  pretty  little 
villages,  that  were  inhabited  by  loyal  people.  Athens  and 
Cleveland  will  especially  be  remembered,  for  their  uniform 
kindness  and  hearty  encouragement. 

A  very  sad  incident  occurred  on  one  of  these  trips.  A 
rebel  soldier's  wife,  wrho  had  obtained  permission  to  visit 
her  husband,  (who  was  a  prisoner,)  at  Chattanooga,  got 
on  at  Knoxville,  with  her  two  little  children,  one  of  whom 
was  not  more  than  four  months  old.  On  her  return,  the 
older,  wTho  had  been  sick,  grew  wTorse,  and  wTas  once  laid 
out  as  dead.  But  through  the  attention  and  kindness  of 


ANONYMOUS    CORRESPONDENCE 


215 


those  on  board,  it  was  kept  alive  until  their  arrival  at  the 
"refugee-house"  in  Knoxville.  It  died  there  at  4  o'clock 
next  morning.  The  sorrowing  mother  came  to  the  con 
ductor  before  the  departure  of  the  train,  telling  him  of  her 
distress,  and  thanking  him  and  his  comrades  for  their  ten 
der  consideration  in  her  time  of  trouble. 

A  serious  accident  occurred  one  day,  which  it  was  for 
some  time  feared  would  prove  fatal.  While  passing  under 
a  bridge,  when  the  train  was  making  fast  time,  Will  Tout, 
of  "Co.  A,  was  struck  on  the  head  by  one  of  the  heavy  tim 
bers,  and  almost  knocked  from  the  car.  It  seemed  likely 
at  first,  he  would  lose  his  mind.  Happily,  he  recovered, 
and  was  restored  to  duty  in  a  few  weeks. 

Our  mail  was  greatly  disturbed  at  this  time,  having  to 
be  sent  around  by  way  of  Huntsville,  on  account  of  the 
Nashville  and  Chattanooga  Road  being  torn  up  by  Wheel 
er's  critter-back  guerrillas. 

ANONYMOUS    CORRESPONDENCE. 

Among  other  innocent  amusements  to  relieve  the  dull 
tedium  and  torture  of  this  sort  of  life,  was  that  of  answer 
ing  "anonymous  correspondents."  One  specimen  of  this  is 
certainly  enough  for  the  average  reader.  Following  the 
popular  idiocy,  Lieut.  Newt.  Brown  and  Hartpence  yielded 
to  the  influence  of  a  double-rigged  invitation  from  a  couple 
of  ladies  of  Newport,  Ky.  Here  is  a  verbatim  copy  of  the 
first  response  from  the  ladies  : 

11  DELECT  A  AMICA  : 

Brave  Hoosier  soldiers,  far  from  home,  I  read  with  anxious  care 
Your  wish  for  correspondence  with  luscious  maidens  fair. 
As  you've  thrown  down  the  gauntlet,  now  I'll  take  up  the  pen. 
And  we'll  see,  inv  bonnie  vet'rans,  where  this  flirtation  ends. 
They  call  me  free  and  forward,  but  I  love  the  soldier  brave 
Who  fights  beneath  the  stars  and  stripes,  his  country  for  to  save ; 
Yet  1  pity  the  condition  <_f  those  who  are  so  vain 
As  to  make  love  to  all  the  world,  a  lady's  heart  to  gain, 
'  Tis  not  so  hard  to  please  our  sex,  if  you're  at  all  inclined. 
Send  on  your  shadows,  soldiers  brave,  and  I  will  send  you  mine; 
I  know  that  you  will  love  me  when  you  my  photo  see. 


216  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

So  give  all  other  maids  the  slip,  and  only  write  to  me. 
1  Tis  true,  upon  my  finger  a  ring  of  gold  I  wear : 
A  token  from  a  soldier  who  is  youthful,  brave  and  fair; 
But  my  heart  is  large  enough  for  three,  and  all  this  world  may  know- 
That  from  this  hour  I  ever  sport  three  strings  unto  my  beau  ! 
In  liinlit,  I'm  five  feet  four  or  so;  of  age,  but  twenty-three; 
Complexion  fair,  dark  eyes  and  hair,  and  heart  still  fancy  free. 
Though  myself  a  Buckeye  girl,  I  rather  like  the  Hoosiers  too  ; 
So  success  to  your  vet'ran  comrades,  and  a  double  health  to  you. 
Now,  my  unknown  soldier  friends,  you  must  admire  my  charms; 
And  if  any  ill  befall  you,  just  come  unto  my  arms; 
I'll  cherish  you  and  love  you,  though  fortune  frown  or  smile. 
But,  Oh  !  avoid  the  frail  fair  one*  who  would  your  hearts  beguile  ! 

To u jours  votre  ami, 

PAULINE  C.  LAVANT. 

Newport,  Ky. 
P.  S.     Sub  rosa,  boys,  don't  forget; 

And  a  speedy  answer  vou'll  not  regret. 

P.  C.  L." 

Of  course  the  boys  wrote  immediately,  and  sent  their 
pictures  —  the  lovely  ferrotypes  they  took  in  Chattanooga; 
which  required  a  diagram  to  explain  who  they  were  ;  and 
that  settled  it.  They  never  got  an  answer  ;  and  would  not 
have  dared  to  come  home  through  Kentucky  by  daylight, 
after  that.  Whatever  became  of  "dear  Pauline,"  is  not 
known  ;  but  "the  years  as  they  pass  slowly  by"  make  sad 
havoc  of  human  aspirations  and  conceits;  and  Pauline's 
disgust  when  she  saw  those  pictures,  and  discovered  that 
these  soldiers  were  only  a  small-sized  lieutenant  and  brevet 
corporal,  instead  of  major  generals,  possibly  faded  out  long 
ago  ;  and  she  may  have  spent  her  days  spanking  the  babies 
of  a  red-headed  street-car  driver,  or  teaching  school. 

COPPERHEAD    LETTER. 

We  were  encouraged  about  this  time  by  the  removal . 
of  a  lot  of  generals  whom  we  had  distrusted,  and  had  just 
begun  to  appreciate  the  worth  of  their  successors .  We  were 
all  eager  to  complete  the  war  ;  and  only  feared  that  some 
foolish  "peace-at-any-price"  compromise  would  be  made, 
that  would  subject  us  to  the  contempt  and  ridicule  of  the 
world.  We  did  not  want  a  declaration  of  peace,  without 


A    COPPERHEAD    LETTER.  217 

the  obliteration  of  every  vestige  of  the  so-called  Southern 
Confederacy,  and  the  utter  and  permanent  subjugation  of 
every  rebel.  More  than  all,  we  desired  the  humiliation  of 
the  miserable  copperheads  that  poisoned  and  paralyzed  so 
ciety  at  home,  and  the  complete  eradication  of  the  scurvy, 
malignant  horde.  As  an  illustration  of  the  influence  that 
was  wielded  by  that  infamous  party,  we  copy  an  ingenious 
and  cowardly  letter  received  by  Frank  M.  Brown,  of  Co.  G, 
the  original  of  which  is  preserved  : 

"NEW  WAVEKLY,  CASS  Co.,  IND.  \ 
June  27,  1864.  j 

The  d-d  tories  have  nominated  two  men  for  president  Fremont  and 
Lincoln  so  you  can  have  your  choice  I  feel  sorry  for  you  I  think  you 
have  lost  your  senses  since  las  harvest  when  you  were  here  You  feel  very 
bad  because  I  will  not  do  as  your  brother  Sam  has  done  turn  traitor  to 
my  party  take  some  abolition  paper  &  cry  "down  with  the  butternuts  & 
copperheads"  &  curse  all  my  brothers  because  the  could  not  see  just  as  I 
do  that  is  what  constitutes  a  union  man  now-a-days.  I  am  happy  to  in 
form  you  that  I  will  never  do  either.  You  say  you  are  sorry  that  I  will 
vote  against  the  soldiers  after  being  one  myself.  I  don't  know  what  you 
mean  by  voting  against  the  soldiers  for  the  Democrats  tried  to  raise  the 
soldiers  wages  to  $16  in  gold  this  winter  or  paper  enough  to  buy  16  in  gold. 
That  would  be  death  on  you  all  for  then  you  could  buy  whisky  enough  to 
kill  all  of  you.  Is  that  what  you  mean  by  voting  against  the  soldiers? 
or  do  you  think  that  if  T  would  vote  for  Lincoln  the  war  would  last  as 
long  as  he  was  president  so  you  could  all  stay  in  the  army  &  not  have  to 
work,  for  they  say  in  their  platform  that  they  will  never  compromise 
with  traitors  or  rebels.  It  will  take  a  Jong  time  kill  them  all  oft.  They 
want  to  give  the  "niggers"  all  the  land  in  the  south  &  it  will  take  all  the 
land  &  property  in  the  north  to  redeem  the  greenbacks  &  pay  for  the 
war.  They  want  to  amend  the  constitution  to  free  the  "niggers"  &  they 
say  "Old  Abe"  has  already  done  that.  Jeff  Davis  wanted  to  amend  the 
constitution  so  that  the  north  would  have  to  send  their  "niggers"  back. 
Noiv  which  is  the  wortt  Abe  and  Jeff.  I  say  one  in  ax  much  of  a  traitor 
as  the  other  &  whoever  xupports  either  of  them  are  traitor*  to  the  consti 
tution  ct-  want  to  tear  down  our  government.  The  Democrats  are  the 
only  Union  party  that  we  have  in  the  United  States  &  whoever  says  they 
are  traitors  are  d-d  liars  I  care  not  who  they  are  where  they  come  from 
or  what  they  call  themselves  If  the  Democrats  were  traitors  as  you  say 
they  are  they  would  not  pay  taxes  to  carry  on  this  unconstitutional  war 
&  wait  till  they  can  elect  a  man  of  their  own  but  they  would  refuse  to 
pay  them  &  if  they  went  to  force  them  they  could  wipe  out  the  d-d  abo 
lition  torys.  But  they  wait  patiently.  Thank  God  we  will  soon  elect 
one  &  then  we  will  see  who  looks  through  the  bars  of  Fort  Lafayette  & 


218  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

those  military  dungeons    We  will  do  with  them  just  as  the  did  with  our 
party.     Vallandigham  has  come  home  to  Ohio  hurrah  for  him  ! 

from  JAMES  NOLAND." 

THE    FIGHT    AT    DALTON . 

It  lias  been  impossible  to  ascertain  the  dates  of  return 
of  officers  to  the  regiment ;  and  notice  can  only  be  given 
by  the  incidental  mention  of  their  names.  Most  of  those 
who  had  not  resigned,  made  their  appearance  about  the 
opening  of  the  Atlanta  campaign. 

August  15,  1864,  we  had  a  lively  set-to  with  the  rebels 
near  Dalton,  Georgia,  that  being  the  beginning  of  our  part 
in  that  memorable  campaign.  Wheeler's  mob  of  3,000 
rebel  cutthroats  had  surrounded  that  town,  with  its  little 
garrison  of  300  men,  AV!IO  were  huddled  together  in  a  large 
brick  house,  and  commanded  by  the  indomitable  Colonel 
Laiboldt,  of  the  2d  Missouri.  General  Steedman  was  with 
the  command,  but  deferred  to  Colonel  Streight,  who  had 
command  of  the  brigade;  Capt.  W.  W.  Scearce  being  in 
command  of  the  Fifty-First.  There  were  with  us  the  68th 
Indiana,  78th  Pennsylvania,  108th  Ohio  and  14th  U.S. 
Colored.  Leaving  the  train  just  before  daylight,  our  com 
mand  slipped  quietly  over  the  rugged  hills  and  through 
almost  interminable  thickets,  until  we  were  in  sight  of  the 
enemy's  pickets.  Then  forming  a  strong  double  line  both 
of  skirmishers  and  reserves,  we  swept  over  them  like  a  gust 
of  wind.  Our  boys  fought  like  tigers;  and  the  devoted 
garrison,  whose  spirits  were  beginning  to  flag,  were  thrilled 
with  joy  at  the  prospect  of  deliverance. 

The  day  before,  a  soldier  from  some  Kentucky  regi 
ment,  who  had  just  been  discharged,  and  had  stopped  at 
Dalton  on  his  way  home,  had  volunteered  to  aid  in  holding 
the  town.  He  was  out  on  the  skirmish  line  ;  and  being  too 
closely  pressed,  he  sought  refuge  in  a  house  whose  mistress 
had  protection  papers  from  General  Steedman.  Here  the 
Union  soldier  thought  himself  safe  ;  and  he  would  have 
been,  but  for  the  perfidy  of  the  ungrateful  she-rebel,  who 


THE    FIGHT    AT    DALTON.  219 

informed  the  enemy  of  his  concealment.  They  took  him 
out  and  shot  him  in  four  places,  and  left  him  lying  in  the 
road.  . 

Our  boys  were  infuriated  at  report  of  this,  and  were 
resolved  on  revenge.  The  word  was  passed  along  the  line. 
The  colored  boys  mounted  a  hill  in  their  front,  to  where 
the  first  lines  of  rebels  were  lying.  Here  they  met  a  slight 
check ,  and  wavered  a  little  ;  it  was  their  first  fight .  Just 
then  the  story  of  the  murdered  Kentuckian  came  up  their 
line.  They  rallied  in  a  moment,  and  poured  into  the  rebels 
a  most  galling  fire.  The  word  was  given  to  "charge,"  and 
with  a  tremendous  bound  and  unearthly  yell,  they  pounced 
like  wounded  tigers  on  their  prey.  When  the  rebels  cried 
for  mercy,  the  colored  boys  hissed  back  at  them,  "Remem 
ber  Fort  Pillow  ! "  as  they  drove  their  bayonets  through  the 
vitals  of  the  perfidious  wretches.  The  mingled  shouts  and 
shrieks  rang  out  on  the  fresh  morning  air,  like  the  wail  of 
lost  souls  in  the  perdition  of  those  who  hate  God  and  virtue. 

One  of  the  darkey  soldiers,  describing  their  charge, 
said,  "As  I  wuz  gwine  up  de  hill,  a  reb  drap  'ight  down  in 
de  weeds,  'n'  'gin  to  holler  '0,  Lo'd  hab  mussy  on  me  !  I 
surrendehs,  I  surrendehs  !'  But  I  did'nt  see  no  surrendeh. 
I  jis'  plug  'im  in  de  mouf ;  and  den  th'ee  fo'  fi'd  on  'im. 
Dey  jis'  keep  on  fi'n'  on  he  ;  thought  dey  nevah  git  done. 
Spec'  da  wa'n't  a  bit  o'  bref  in  dat  dar  reb  w'en  he  struck 
de  groun'.  0,  I  tell  ye  'twus  life  o'  death  to  we-all.  I  jis' 
knowed  dey  nevah  take  we-uns  no  pris'nehs.  Dey  jis'  fin 
ish  us  up  'ight  dar  ! ' ' 

Wheeler's  fcruel  and  soulless  method  operated  on  this 
occasion  like  a  boomerang.  He  hastened  to  get  away  as 
soon  as  possible  ;  being  closely  followed  by  our  skirmishers . 

George  W.  Scearce  of  Co.  K,  was  promoted  to  be  2d 
lieutenant,  in  March,  and  took  command  of  Co.  A  just  be 
fore  this  fight,  when  that  company  had  no  officers.  As  we 
approached  the  town,  the  skirmish  line,  consisting  of  Co. 
A,  was  confronted  by  a  force  of  rebels  around  a  dwelling. 


220  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

The  skirmishers  charged  the  house,  but  were  repulsed,  and 
Wade  Harrison  and  Mason  Morris  were  taken  prisoners. 
The  skirmishers,  being  reinforced  immediately  by  Cos.  D 
and  F,  under  command  of  Captain  Anderson,  renewed  the 
charge  upon  the  rebel  stronghold,  finding  it  evacuated,  on 
account  of  the  flanking  by  the  troops  on  our  left.  In  this 
charge,  Levi  Todd,  of  Co.  F,  was  mortally  wounded  and 
died  on  the  17th. 

The  next  day,  as  we  were  leaving  Dalton,  a  man  was 
seen  in  the  distance,  running  and  waving  his  hands.  On 
his  coming  up  to  the  command,  it  proved  to  be  Wade  Har 
rison.  He  went  to  Lieutenant  Scearce,  saying,  "I  guess  I 
won't  carry  a  gun  for  a  while,"  as  he  exhibited  a  parole. 
"All  right/'  said  the  lieutenant,  you  can  stay  with  us  and 
cook  flapjacks  and  make  coffee." 

In  the  charge  by  Co.  A,  Sergeant  A.  C.  Weaver  was 
seriously  wounded  in  the  left  heel.  He  was  carried  back 
by  David  Alley  and  Sergeant  Montgomery,  to  an  impro 
vised  hospital  in  a  farm-house,  which  was  already  so  full  of 
wounded  Union  and  rebel  soldiers,  that  he  was  laid  on  the 
portico,  drenched  with  the  rain  that  fell  just  as  the  battle 
closed.  He  did  not  have  his  clothes  changed  till  three  or 
four  days  after,  when  he  was  taken  to  the  general  field  hos 
pital  at  Chattanooga. 

In  the  general  engagement,  Lieutenant  Holmaii,  Co. 
G,  who  was  then  a  sergeant,  saw  a  Union  soldier  lying  on 
his  back,  his  clothing  torn  from  his  breast,  which  had  been 
pierced  in  several  places  by  a  bayonet  passing  clear  through 
and  out  at  his  back.  The  dastardly  act  appeared  to  have 
been  done  after  the  poor  fellow  was  killed  by  a  bullet. 

The  Official  War  Records  furnish  the  following  reports, 
which  are  slightly  abbreviated  for  this  work. 

Report  of  Col.  Wm.  Sirwell,  78tJi  Penn.  Inf. 

"  Maj.  Gen.  Steedman  directed  me  to  report  to  Col.  Streigbt. 
Sunday  noon,  August  14,  1864,  on  reaching  Cbicamauga  Station,  on  the 
Chattanooga  and  Atlanta  Railroad,  I  reported  to  Col.  Streight.  He  placed 


THE    FIGHT    AT    DALTON .  221 

me  ill  command  of  the  78th  Pennsylvania,  108th  Ohio  and  68th  Indiana, 
•  with  instructions  to  move  forward  on  Dal  ton  as  speedily  as  possible.  At 
Tunnel  Hill  I  disembarked,  matched  across  Tunnel  Hill,  then  taking  the 
railroad  marched  perhaps  three  miles.  Here  I  received  orders  from  Col. 
Streight  to  halt,  it  being  '2  A.  M.,  and  so  dark,  imprudent  to  go  farther. 
At  daylight  Gen.  Steedman  ordered  me  to  move  forward  rapidly  as  pos 
sible.  At  this  time  the  14th  U.  8.  Colored  troops  were  sent  forward,  and 
took  position  on  the  left  of  my  command,  and  sent  forward  one  company 
to  skirmish  and  to  protect  their  flanks.  Due  preparation  being  made,  the 
troops  began  to  move  forward,  meeting  the  enemy  in  strong  force,  said 
to  be  about  3,000,  driving  him  three  miles,  through  Dalton,  where  the 
entire  command  halted  in  a  very  heavy  rain." 

Report  of  Capt.  W.  W.  Scearce. 

"CHATTANOOGA,  Aug.  20,  1864. 

The  regiment  having  received  orders  on  the  14th,  embarked  on  board 
the  cars  at  5  P.  M.,  August  14,  and  arrived  at  Tunnel  Hill  at  midnight. 
Here  the  regiment  disembarked,  and  was  ordered  to  accompany  the  ar 
tillery  through  the  country  to  the  gap  in  the  Rocky  Face  Ridge,  where 
it  arrived  at  about  3  A.  M.,  and  lay  in  line  of  battle  on  Col.  Morgan's  (U. 
S.  Col.  Inf.,)  left  until  after  sunrise ;  we  then  moved  beyond  the  gap,  and 
took  a  position  on  the  right  of  the  29th  Indiana.  These  two  regiments 
formed  the  reserve,  and  occupied  a  position  to  the  right  and  rear  of  the 
front  line.  After  the  charge  made  by  Col.  Morgan's  regiment,  I  was  or 
dered  to  throw  out  two  companies,  to  protect  our  flank  on  the  right.  The 
skirmishers  soon  became  warmly  engaged  ;  the  right  of  the  line,  having 
advanced  so.ne  distance  beyond  the  main  line,  suddenly  found  them 
selves  upon  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  concealed  in  and  about  a  large 
house.  The  enemy  rushed  upon  them,  and  demanded  their  surrender, 
but  I  sent  a  timely  support,  that  saved  the  line,  and  after  more  severe 
skirmishing,  the  enemy  withdrew,  and  my  command,  with  the  rest  of 
the  force,  marched  into  Dalton.  The  strength  of  my  command  was  380. 
My  loss  was  4  wounded,  1  mortally,  since  died,  1  captured." 

Extract  from  Gen.  Steed-man's  Report. 

14  Early  in  the  morning  of  August  14,  the  enemy's  cavalry  in  consid 
erable  numbers,  attacked  a  herd  of  cattle  near  Calhoun,  Ga.,  dispersing 
a  portion  of  the  guard  and  driving  off  a  large  number  of  cattle.  At  3  p. 
M.  I  received  information  that  rebel  Gen.  Wheeler,  with  a  strong  force, 
was  moving  toward  Dalton.  At  6  p.  M.  a  demand  had  been  made  by 
Wheeler  for  the  surrender  of  Dalton,  which  had  been  refused.  I  did  not 
reach  the  bridge  north  of  that  place  till  after  midnight.  I  was  told  our 
forces  were  overpowered  and  captured.  At  daylight  I  advanced  my  com 
mand  ;  we  soon  became  engaged  with  the  enemy's  skirmishers. 
Heard  firing,  and  learning  that  the  garrison  was  still  holding  out,  moved 
forward  rapidly,  and  soon  cleared  the  town  of  the  enemy;  but  being 
without  cavalry,  could  not  pursue.  The  enemy's  loss  could  not  be  less 


222  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

than  :>00.  He  left  33  dead  and  57  badly  wounded  on  the  field.  My  loss 
was  1  officer  and  8  men  killed,  1  officer  and  29  men  wounded,  1  officer 
and  23  men  missing.  Troops  engaged,  2d  Missouri,  29th,  51st  and 

68th  Indiana,  108th  Ohio,  78th  Pennsylvania  and  14th  Colored." 

From  Got.  Tho-mas1  Report. 

''Early  on  the  morning  of  the  loth,  Maj.  Gen.  Steed  man,  with  two 
regiments  of  white  and  six  companies  of  colored  troops,  arrived  at  Dai- 
ton  from  Chattanooga  and  immediately  attacked  the  enemy,  driving  him 
oft  toward  Spring  Place,  after  four  hours'  fighting.  The  enemy's  loss  was 
heavy,  and  he  left  his  dead  and  wounded  on  the  field.  Our  loss  was  40 
killed  and  55  wounded.  We  captured  50  wagons  and  2  surgeons." 

Rebel  Geu.  Hood  was  almost  as  big  a  liar  as  Forrest. 
In  his  book  "Advance  and  Retreat/'  lie  claims  the  above 
victory  for  himself  ;  and  says  : 

"On  the  13th  I  demanded  the  surrender  of  Dal  ton,  which,  the  first 
instance,  was  refused,  but  was  finally  acceded  to  at  4  p.  M.  The  garrison 
consisted  of  about  1,000  men.  As  the  road  between  Resaca  and  Tunnel 
Hill  had  been  effectually  destroyed,  the  army  was  put  in  motion  the  next 
morning,  in  the  direction  of  Gadsden." 

The  24th  was  made  memorable  by  the  arrival  of  a  big 
boat-load  of  onions  ;  the  very  recollection  of  which  brings 
tears  to  one's  eyes. 

"  How  sublime  a  thing  it  is  to  suffer  and  be  strong!  " 

THE    NORTH    ALABAMA    CAMPAIGN. 

In  the  latter  part  of  August,  1864,  Gen.  Jas.  B.  Steed- 
man,  commanding  the  District  of  the  Etowah,  organized 
an  expedition  to  meet  the  advance  of  the  rebels  through 
Northern  Alabama.  The  organization  of  the  Post  of  Chat 
tanooga  then ,  from  which  the  expedition  was  made  up ,  was 
as  follows  : 

Col.  T.  R.  Stanley,  Commanding  Post. 
1st  Brigade,  Col  A.  D.  Streight  Commanding. 
51st  Indiana,  14th  U.S.  Colored, 

11  th  Michigan,  2d  Ohio. 

£d  Brigade,  Lieut  .-Col.  Dunn,  Commanding. 
29th  Indiana,  68th  Indiana, 

Detach't  5th  Iowa,         18th  Ohio, 
10th  Iowa. 


THE    NORTH    ALABAMA    CAMPAIGN.  223 

3d  Brigade,  Lieut  .-Col.  Hurlbut,  Commanding. 

39th  Iowa,  57th  Illinois. 

The  following  is  the  report  of  Captain  Stansbury,  19th 
Inf.,  A.  A.  A.  G.,  to  the  general  commanding  : 

"CHATTANOOGA,  Sept.  13,  1864. 

The  troops  were  loaded  upon  the  trains,  and  the  trains  left  the  depot 
at  this  place  at  7:30  A.  M.,  September  1,  and  reached  Whiteside's  Station 
at  10  A.  M.,  the  same  day.  Here,  in  obedience  to  the  railroad  authorities, 
the  command  was  delayed  '2  hours  and  45  minutes,  awaiting  the  arrival 
of  three  engines  and  the  cabooses.  We  left  Whiteside's  Station  about 
12:  50  P.  M..  arrived  at  Bridgeport,  taking  on  the  train  at  that  point  the 
-39th  Iowa,  and  reached  Stevenson  at  1 : 10  P.  M.  At  this  point  the  com 
mand  was  again  delayed  1  hour  and  45  minutes  by  the  local  agent,  Mr. 
Irish,  for  the  purpose  of  changing  engines  and  conductors.  Mr.  Irish 
also  took  the  responsibility  of  cutting  up  one  of  the  sections  of  the  train, 
and  joining  the  cars  belonging  to  it  on  the  other  four  sections.  By  this 
some  of  the  regiments  were  scattered  upon  three  or  four  trains,  and  the 
horses  of  the  artillery  separated  from  the  pieces.  The  expedition  reached 
Murfreesboro  at  10:30  p.  M.,  and  was  disembarked  from  the  train  at  that 
point.  After  several  hours'  rest,  to  give  the  troops  an  opportunity  to  cook 
their  rations,  the  command  moved  out  on  the  La  Vergue  pike  at  2:30  A. 
M.,  and  marched  to  that  point,  reaching  there  at  9  A.  M.  Here  a  mes 
senger  was  dispatched  to  Gen.  Rousseau,  and  awaiting  his  reply,  the 
command  rested  in  camp.  At  5  p.  M.,  no  word  having  been  received 
from  Gen.  Rousseau,  the  command  was  got  in  readiness  to  move,  when 
it  was  reported  to  the  general  commanding  that  a  column  of  the  enemy 
was  moving  down  the  Lebanon  pike,  in  the  direction  of  the  town.  Tiie 
command  was  immediately  moved  into  position,  and  the  18th  Ohio  de 
ployed  as  skirmishers.  The  enemy  advanced  within  sight  of  the  skir 
mish  line,  but  seeing,  or  learning  our  force  from  the  inhabitants,  fell 
back,  refusing  attack.  The  command  then  moved  up  the  pike  toward 
Murfreesboro,  crossing  Stewart's  Creek,  and  taking  up  position  at  the 
church  two  miles  from  the  creek.  Here,  on  the  next  morning,  the  3d  of 
September,  the  enemy  again  tried  to  cross,  but  finding  us  in  their  front 
again  retired  and  moved  up  toward  Lebanon.  At  the  time  the  enemy 
fired  upon  our  pickets,  Gen.  Milroy  had  sent  word  of  his  coming  up  with 
cavalry,  and  the  command  waited  until  his  arrival  before  moving.  At 
9  A.  M.  Gen.  Milroy  arrived,  and  the  line  was  foimed.  The  command 
moved  forward  in  line  for  one  mile,  when  it  was  found  that  the  enemy 
had  left  our  front.  Pursuit  was  commenced  and  kept  up  as  far  as  old 
Jefferson  Crossing  of  Stone's  River.  The  command  then  halted  and 
rested,  and  then  moved  over  to  the  railroad,  where  it  had  been  destroyed 
by  Wheeler.  The  trains  arrived  here  during  the  night,  and  at  daylight 
of  the  4th  of  September  the  command  was  again  embarked  on  the  train 
-and  moved  to  Murfreesboro.  At  9  A.  M.  Gen.  Milroy  sent  word  that  the 


224  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

enemy  was  crossing  the  Salem  pike,  five  miles  from  town,  and  the  com 
mand  was  at  once  moved  in  that  direction.  While  on  the  march,  word 
was  received  that  the  enemy  had  g-jne  in  full  retreat,  and  Gen.  Milroy 
was  in  pursuit.  The  command  was  moved  back  to  Murfreenboro,  where 
it  remained  till  10  4.  M,,  September  5,  when  we  moved  upon  the  trains 
toward  Tullahoma,  repairing  some  300  feet  of  track  near  Christiana.  On 
arriving  at  Tullahoma,  a  request  was  received  that  the  general  should 
move  his  command  to  Huntsville  and  Pulaski.  Arrangements  were 
made  to  comply  with  this  request,  and  the  expedition  arrived  in  Hunts 
ville  upon  the  trains  at  8  : 30  A.  M.  of  the  6th  of  September.  Rations  were 
drawn  here  by  the  men,  and  the  expedition  proceeded  to  Pulaski,  arriving 
there  at  8:30  p.  M.,  where  it  remained  all  night.  On  the  morning  of  the 
7th  the  command  was  moved  to  Athens,  and  disembarked  about  12  M. 
Here  word  was  received  that  Generals  Rousseau  and  Granger  were  mak 
ing  for  the  same  point,  and  we  awaited  their  arrival.  In  the  meantime 
Col.  Straight,  commanding  First  Brigade,  was  sent  with  his  own  and  the 
Third  Brigade  to  Rogersville.  Generals  Rousseau  and  Granger  arrived 
at  Athens  September  8,  at  4  p.  M.,  and  about  6  p.  M.,  at  the  earnest  solic 
itation  of  Gen.  Steed  man,  the  whole  command  of  cavalry  was  set  in 
motion  to  support  Col.  Straight.  The  cavalry  camped  at  Elk  River  on 
the  night  of  the  8th  of  September.*  At  4  A.  M.  September  f),  that  command 
moved  and  overtook  the  infantry  under  Col.  Straight's  command  at 
Shoal  Creek  about  3  :30  p.  M.  Col.  Streight  had  overtaken  Gen.  Wheel 
er's  rear  guard,  and  skirmished  with  it,  driving  the  enemy  and  crossing 
the  creek,  where  he  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  cavalry.  At  this  point  it 
was  determined  by  Gen.  Rousseau  to  remain  for  the  night.  On  the 
morning  of  the  10th  of  September,  after  a  long  delay,  the  cavalry  started 
in  pursuit,  and  the  infantry  of  this  command  awaited  developments.  In 
the  meantime  foraging  parties  were  sent  out,  and  meat  sufficient  for  two 
days'  rations  collected  from  the  rebel  citizens  of  the  country.  A  portion 
of  the  command  was  moved  down  to  —  Ferry,  where  some  of  the  boats 
of  the  enemy  were  concealed.  Some  skirmishing  was  had,  and  the 
guards  of  the  boats  driven  from  their  cover,  one  being  killed  and  several 
wounded.  Orders  to  move  up  to  Florence  prevented  any  attempt  to  gain 
possession  of  the  boats.  These  orders  were  afterward  countermanded, 
and  the  troops  moved  back  to  their  camps.  Gen.  Rousseau  announced 
here  that  Wheeler  had  crossed  the  Tennessee  River  at  4  p.  M.  On  the 
nforning  of  the  llth  the  command  started  for  Athens,  reaching  Klk 
River  at  dark,  and  Athens  at  9  A.  M.  on  the  12th  of  September.  The 
command  started  at  11  A.  M.,  September  12,  for  Chattanooga,  arriving 
there  at  11  :30  P.  M." 

Rebel  Ca.pt.  Lester,  7th  Alabama  Car.,  to   \\'hcclcr  : 

"Friday  morning,  Sept.  1,  1864. 

The  enemy  passed  through  Rogersville  at  1  P.  M,  yesterday,  on  the 
Florence  road  from  the  direction  of  Athens,  the  force  between  2,000  and 
2,500,  consisting  of  4  regiments  of  white  infantry  and  1  negro  regiment, 


"BOUNTY-JUMPERS."  225 

1  regiment  of  cavalry,  about  250  men,  and  2  pieces  of  artillery,  com 
manded  by  Gen.  Streight.  Gen.  Rousseau  is  reported  in  Athens  with  2 
brigades  of  cavalry.  The  Yankees  expect  him  to  reinforce  them  to-day." 

Gen.  Miller,  Cornel  g.  Nashville,  to  Gen.  Sherman  : 

"  NASHVILLE,  Sept.  8,  1864—11 :30  p.  M. 

Dispatches  from  Gen.  Rousseau,  at  Athens,  state  that  Wheeler  is  in 
the  vicinity  of  Rogersville.  *  Col.  Streight  has  gone  toward  Rog- 
ersville,  with  2,500  infantry  and  2  pieces  of  artillery." 

Gen.  Granger  to  Gen.  Whipple  : 

"ATHENS,  Sept.  8,  1864. 

Have  just  returned  from  the  pursuit  of  Wheeler  with  1,300  cavalry 
and  2  pieces  of  artillery.  At  11  A.  M.  to-day,  I  met  Col.  Streight  at  Elk 
River.  I  advised  him  to  move  down  and  attack  Wheeler,  and 

gave  him  one  of  my  best  regiments  of  cavalry,  about  450  strong,  and  or 
dered  the  10th  Michigan  Inf.,  300  strong,  which  had  marched  down  with 
him,  to  report  to  him.  I  advised  Streight,  that  if  Wheeler  crossed  the 
river,  or  if  he  forced  him  over  the  river,  to  destroy  the  ferries,  and  guard 
the  fords." 

The  Post  of  Chattanooga,  Sept.  30,  1864,  consisted  as 
follows  : 

Col.  T.  R.  Stanley,  Commanding. 

29th  Indiana,  Capt.  Samuel  O.  Gregory. 
44th  Indiana,  Capt.  Jas.  F.  Curtis. 
51st  Indiana,  Capt.  W.  W.  Scearce. 
.      68th  Indiana,  Lt.-Col.  H.  J.  Espy. 

8th  Kentucky,  Lt.-Col.  Jas.  D.  May  hew. 


In  the  summer  and  fall  of  1864,  the  people  became  in 
tensely  excited  over  the  draft.  Extraordinary  efforts  were 
made  to  fill  the  quotas,  by  securing  volunteers.  Large  local 
bounties  were  offered,  and  the  places  where  the  draft  was 
yet  to  occur  also  strove  with  each  other.  Liberal  bounties 
were  also  offered  by  the  Government,  a  considerable  install 
ment  of  which  was  paid  on  the  muster  of  the  recruit. 

This  unprecedented  liberality  of  the  Government  and 
local  authorities,  while  it  served  its  intended  purpose,  by 
promoting  genuine  enlistments,  also  opened  the  way  for  a 

vast  amount  of  swindling  on  the   part  of  speculators,  and 
15 


226  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

systematized  fraud  by  organized  conspirators.  The  worst 
class  of  men  from  Europe  and  British  America,  deserters 
from  the  rebel  army,  thieves  and  toughs  thronged  the  re 
cruiting  stations,  with  a  well-assumed  display  of  patriotic 
ardor.  They  were  regularly  enlisted,  and  received  their 
advance  pay  and  clothing.  In  a  few  hours  their  uniform 
would  be  laid  aside,  they  would  present  themselves  at  the 
next  recruiting  station,  and  again  go  through  the  process 
of  enlistment,  muster  and  pay  under  other  names,  in  many 
instances  enlisting  several  times  in  the  various  districts  in 
the  same  State .  These  fellows  would  in  the  eye  of  the  law 
"fill  the  quotas"  of  wards  and  townships.  The  muster- 
rolls  exhibited  a  lot  of  fictitious  names,  that,  when  ordered 
to  report  for  duty,  made  no  response.  One  officer  reported 
389  men,  of  whom  more  than  200  had  deserted  almost  im 
mediately  after  receiving  their  bounties.  Especially  in  the 
States  where  larger  bounties  were  paid,  an  investigation 
showed  that  thousands  of  names  on  the  muster-rolls  were 
but  the  various  aliases  of  scoundrels,  some  of  whom  had 
enlisted  as  many  as  twenty  times,  receiving  in  bounties  as 
much  as  $8,000. 

A  likely  fellow  named  Pat,  was  tempted  by  a  large 
bounty  to  enlist.  Some  time  after,  an  officer  met  Pat's 
mother,  and  inquired  how  he  was  getting  along. 

"Oh,  foine  ;  he  is  doin'  well,  and  has  got  some  kind  of 
an  office.  He  is  sendin'  me  a  lot  o'  money,"  was  the  reply 
of  the  proud  mother. 

"What  kind  of  an  office  has  he  got?" 

"Och  !  I  don't  know  ;  but  I  belave  they  do  call  it  the 
leaping  of  the  bounty." 

Pat  was  finally  caught,  and  made  to  serve  a  long  term 
in  the  penitentiary  lor  "leaping  of  the  bounty." 

General  Hovey,  commanding  the  district,  and  General 
Carrington,  commandant  of  the  draft  rendezvous,  set  to 
work  to  detect  and  arrest  this  class  of  deserters.  A  large 
prison  was  prepared  for  their  reception  at  the  "Soldiers' 


"BOUNTY-JUMPERS."  227 

Home,"  and  a  strong  guard  was  placed  about  it.  A  num 
ber  of  them  were  collected.,  manacled  and  paraded  on  the 
streets  of  Indianapolis,  to  the  tune  of  "Rogue's  March." 
They  were  then  sent  to  the  different  commands  in  the  field, 
where  they  generally  embraced  the  first  opportunity  to  de 
sert  again. 

A  court-martial  was  convened,  and  a  large  number  of 
the  worst  bounty-jumpers  were  sentenced  to  imprisonment 
for  from  six  months  to  five  years  at  hard  labor.  They  had 
their  heads  shaved,  and  wore  a  heavy  ball  and  chain,  and 
were  drummed  out  of  the  service  at  the  expiration  of  their 
sentence . 

Among  the  worst  of  those  tried  by  court-martial,  were 
John  Doyle,  Charles  Billingsly,  Thomas  Ryan,  alias  John 
Reagan  (on  the  roll  of  Co.  C,  51st  Indiana,  as  "Patrick 
Ryan,  mustered  in  Oct.  21,  '64  ;  deserted  March  28,  '65,") 
and  Thomas  Hurry,  who  had  heard  in  New  York  that  a 
"soft  snap"  was  offered  in  Indiana,  and  had  gone  there  to 
secure  it. 

Charles  Billingsly  enlisted  in  the  7th  Indiana  Battery, 
from  which  he  deserted ,  and  enlisted  again .  He  was  taken 
to  Chattanooga  and  tried  by  court-martial,  was  released  on 
parole,  and  deserted  and  went  to  Louisville,  where  he  was 
caught.  He  refused  to  tell  how  often  he  had  deserted,  but 
substantially  admitted  a  number  of  times.  He  confessed 
to  the  murder  of  a  woman  and  her  child,  and  was  known 
to  have  used  the  names  of  Cooper  and  Miller  as  aliases. 

Thomas  or  Patrick  Ryan,  or  John  Reagan,  enlisted  in 
the  Fifty-First,  and  deserted,  bribing  the  guard  to  let  him 
pass  out  of  the  camp.  He  had  received  $433.50  in  boun 
ties.  When  arrested,  he  declared  that  he  had  never  been 
in  the  service ,  nor  enlisted  in  any  regiment ;  but  he  was 
fully  identified  by  Colonel  Streight  and  others.  He  then 
declared  that  he  had  not  "jumped  the  bounty"  more  than 
once  before  ;  but  it  was  known  that  he  had  admitted  to  his 
associates  that  he  had  "jumped"  thirty  times. 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Thomas  Murry  said  he  came  from  London  about  one 
year  previous  to  his  arrest.  He  enlisted  in  the  llth  Indi 
ana  Cavalry,  at  Lafayette,  and  was  sent  to  Indianapolis,  to 
Camp  Carrington,  from  which  he  deserted  the  first  night 
after  his  arrival,  and  was  arrested  in  a  sleeping-car  on  the 
way  to  Chicago. 

They  were  sentenced  to  death,  and  the  sentence  was 
approved  by  President  Lincoln  and  by  General  Hovey,  in 
command  of  the  District  of  Indiana.  The  sentence  of  John 
Doyle  was  suspended  by  President  Lincoln,  for  ten  days  ; 
and  was  afterward  changed. 

On  the  23d  of  December,  1864,  the  other  prisoners 
mentioned  were  shot  to  death  at  Camp  Burnside,  situated 
immediately  south  of  Camp  Morton,  north  of  7th  and  east 
of  Delaware  street.  The  execution  was  announced  to  take 
place  at  10  o'clock,  at  which  hour  about  2,000  soldiers  of 
the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  were  drawn  up,  forming  three 
sides  of  a  square,  the  north  side,  next  to  Camp  Morton, 
being  left  open.  As  usual  with  that  class  of  felons,  a  Ro 
mish  priest  accompanied  the  condemned  prisoners,  and 
recited  a  lot  of  Latin  mummery,  so  full  of  comfort  to  mur 
derers  and  rascals  of  that  sort,  and  behind  them  came  a 
detail  of  soldiers  bearing  coffins  on  their  shoulders.  They 
marched  to  the  east  line,  filed  north,  and  at  the  north  line, 
on  the  bank  of  the  State  ditch,  about  six  feet  high,  turned 
west  and  marched  to  the  middle,  halted  and  faced  the  sol 
diers  and  several  thousand  people.  The  detail  of  soldiers 
moved  off  and  formed  two  lines,  about  ten  paces  from  the 
prisoners  and  facing  them.  The  rear  rank  of  the  firing 
party  was  the  reserve.  One-half  of  the  guns  were  loaded 
with  balls  and  the  others  with  blank  cartridges,  handed  to 
the  soldiers  by  the  officer  in  charge,  without  their  knowing 
which  were  loaded.  The  first  five  on  the  right  were  ordered 
to  fire  at  the  first  prisoner  on  the  right,  the  second  five  at 
the  second  prisoner,  and  the  third  five  at  the  third  prisoner. 
All  were  ordered  to  aim  at  the  hearts  of  the  prisoners,  who 


"BOrXTY-.H'MI'ERS."  229 

were  dressed  in  citizens' clothes.  During  the  reading  of 
the  order  of  the  court  sentencing  them  to  death,  the  pris 
oners  manifested  little  or  no  interest  in  the  document  nor 
surroundings.  Ryan  looked  about  over  the  crowd  with  an 
air  of  indifference ,  occasionally  glancing  over  his  shoulder 
at  the  bank  in  his  rear,  as  if  he  were  expecting  something 
from  that  quarter.  At  a  sign,  a  non-commissioned  officer 
stepped  forward,  loosened  the  cords  about  the  arms  of  each 
prisoner,  removed  his  hat,  tied  his  feet  together  and  set 
him  down  on  his  coffin.  He  then  tied  a  white  cloth  over 
their  eyes,  and  they  awaited  their  doom.  The  firing  party 
advanced  five  paces,  halted,  and  in  perfect  silence  brought 
their  guns  to  an  aim.  Ryan,  in  the  center,  threw  his  head 
back,  as  if  he  were  trying  to  see  under  the  bandage.  The 
order  to  "fire"  was  given  by  waving  a  handkerchief.  The 
hammers  of  the  guns  fell  so  unitedly,  that  no  individual 
sound  was  distinguished.  As  the  white  smoke  curled  away 
from  the  guns,  Ryan  fell  squarely  back  on  his  coffin,  and 
died  apparently  without  moving  a  muscle. 

This  ended  a  strange  and  fearful  scene,  which  had  not 
before  been  witnessed  on  Indiana  soil.  One  of  the  most 
impressive  features  was  the  presence  of  about  100  "bounty- 
jumpers,"  then  in  confinement  at  the  "Soldiers'  Home," 
who  were  sent  out  that  they  might  be  impressed  with  the 
enormity  of  the  crime  they  stood  charged  with .  They  were 
placed  inside  of  the  line  of  soldiers,  where  they  had  a  full 
view  of  all  that  occurred.  This  was  a  terrible  lesson  to  the 
"bounty-jumpers,"  and  contributed  greatly  in  breaking  up 
the  infamous  business  in  Indiana. 

About  the  1st  of  November,  1864,  during  the  last  levy, 
Colonel  Streight  was  at  home,  and  received  recruits  to  the 
number  of  300  drafted  men  and  substitutes.  To  these  were 
added  a  number  of  "bounty-jumpers,"  who  were  chained 
together,  and  marched  through  the  principal  streets  of  In 
dianapolis,  headed  by  a  large  negro,  ringing  a  bell,  and 
bearing  on  his  back  the  inscription  "Bounty  Jumpers." 


230  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

By  order  of  General  Carrington,  Lieutenant  Scearce  took 
command  of  the  entire  detachment,  and  on  November  6,  he 
reported  them  at  Chattanooga.  Orders  had  been  issued, 
that  any  guard  permitting  one  of  the  chain-gang  to  escape, 
should  take  the  convict's  place.  On  the  way,  one  of  the 
convicts,  although  manacled,  managed  to  get  a  car  window 
open,  and  hurled  himself  through  it  while  the  train  was  in 
rapid  motion.  Before  lie  touched  the  ground,  however,  the 
guard  had  observed  his  escape  ;  and  rushing  to  the  rear 
platform,  jumped  off  into  the  darkness.  Alighting  aright, 
he  groped  about  till  he  found  his  prisoner,  marched  him  to 
the  next  station,  and  on  the  next  train  caught  up  with  the 
detachment  at  Nashville.  The  chain-gang  was  turned  over 
to  the  provost  marshal  at  Chattanooga,  and  immediately 
sent  to  the  front.  The  drafted  men  and  substitutes  were 
distributed  among  the  companies  of  our  regiment. 

In  many  cases  such  dishonorable  means  had  been  used 
to  obtain  substitutes  by  brokers,  and  by  even  some  of  the 
State  agents,  who  in  their  zeal  to  line  their  own  pockets, 
overlooked  the  noble  and  patriotic  object  of  enlistments, 
that  old  soldiers  felt  the  disgrace  of  having  these  fellows 
dumped  unceremoniously  into  their  ranks  ;  and  were  not 
slow  in  evincing  their  resentment.  They  knew  that  patri 
otism  had  not  sent  them  there  ;  and  that  unjust  and  unfair 
discrimination  had  been  made  against  themselves.  There 
were,  howrever,  some  who,  after  the  first  scare  incident  to 
exposure  in  line  of  battle,  became  properly  infused  with 
the  quality  of  good  soldiers,  and  were  always  found  ready 
for  duty  at  every  call.  But  they  never  quite  attained  that 
fraternity  acquired  by  long  comradeship  ;  and  to  this  day 
there  remains  a  strained  condition  in  their  relation  with 
veterans . 

Our  army  was  also  recruited  by  "100  days"  men  ;  the 
veterans  called  them  "100  years  men,"  and  regarded  them 
with  derision  at  first.  Some  called  them  "Wide-awakes," 
also,  referring  to  a  political  club  during  the  first  Lincoln 


THE    "DOG-TENT."  231 


campaign.  These  boys  were  treated  kindly,  however,  and 
many  of  them  made  as  good  soldiers  as  their  time  allowed. 
They  needed  experience  ;  and  some  of  them  got  a  little  of 
that  up  in  East  Tennessee,  under  Burnside.  Many  a  "100 
days"  boy  went  out,  never  to  return. 

Captain  Hamilton  was  assigned  to  the  command  of 
Co.  C,  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Captain 
Sheets,  and  while  Lieutenant  Dooley  was  in  Libby  Prison. 
Captain  Sheets  had  been  commissioned  Major,  but  had  not 
been  mustered  in  his  new  position.  Our  new  captain  was 
a  jolly  fellow,  and  the  boys  soon  learned  to  like  him. 


"DOG-TENTS." 


The  introduction  of  shelter-tents  occurred  about  this 
time,  and  was  a  very  funny  era  in  our  soldier  life.  There 
was  such  a  sudden  shrinkage  from  the  "Sibley"  and  the 
"wall"  and  the  "Bell,"  to  the  diminutive  "pup-tent,"  that 
our  proportions  could  not  contract  rapidly  enough  to  fit  it. 
Besides,  it  seemed  ridiculous  to  call  such  a  thing  a  tent. 
The  first  time  we  occupied  them,  the  boys  acted  like  a  lot 
of  lunatics;  imitating  all  sorts  of  animals,  barking  like 
dogs,  squalling  like  cats,  braying  like  mules,  cackling  like 
hens,  and  crowing  like  roosters.  As  soon  as  dark  came, 
one  soldier,  hidden  away  in  one  of  these  little  quarters, 
would  yell  out : 

"Who  stole  the  doctor's  whisky?" 

Away  over  in  another  part  of  the  regiment  came  the 
answer  : 

"Jim  Landon  !" 

"It's  an  infernal  lie  ;  and  I'll  shoot  the  scoundrel  that 
says  so  !  Curt.,  get  out  and  see  who  that  is,"  shouted  the 
grizzled  old  fifer  ;  addressing  the  last  sentence  to  Welshans, 
the  drummer  boy.  But  it  was  useless  to  try  to  find  the  cul 
prit  ;  and  the  victim  would  retire  under  a  volley  of  subdued 
yells  from  all  directions. 

The  soldier  would  put  up  his  "dog-tent"  regardless  of 


232  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  location,  spread  his  brush  and  straw,  and  then  adapt 
his  body  to  the  surface,  adjusting  the  conformation  of  his 
anatomy  to  the  irregularities  of  the  ground,  roots,  etc.  A 
Fifty-First  boy  dreamed  one  night  that  he  was  in  a  hard 
battle,  where  volleys  of  musketry  were  interspersed  with 
the  crash  of  batteries.  Suddenly  a  monster  shell  struck 
directly  in  front  of  him ,  while  he  was  on  his  back  loading  ; 
the  ball  plowed  its  way  under  him,  and  lodged  directly  be 
neath  him.  He  felt  it  under  him  plainly,  and  knew  that 
in  another  second  it  would  explode,  hurling  him  into  space 
and  scattering  his  remains  in  a  thousand  directions.  He 
sprang  like  a  cat  from  the  place  of  danger,  and  —  awoke, 
to  find  himself  in  a  thick  briar-patch,  with  his  tent  torn  to 
pieces,  and  a  drizzling  rain  falling.  He  had  made  his  bed 
over  some  large  roots,  and  in  turning  had  got  his  back  on 
one  of  them.  His  imagination  did  the  rest. 

About  the  1st  of  October,  1864,  great  excitement  pre 
vailed  in  all  the  camps  of  Indiana  soldiers  ;  and  among  the 
division  and  brigade  commanders  there  was  considerable 
planning  to  relieve  all  Indiana  soldiers  from  detached  duty, 
and  to  furlough  them  home .  Thousands  of  furloughs  were 
issued  for  a  period  of  fifteen  days,  which  were  afterward 
extended  to  thirty  days.  These  were  in  usual  form,  but 
the  indorsement  included  "  (To  vote)  ".  To  facilitate  this, 
transportation  was  furnished  to  any  point  in  Indiana.  The 
Presidential  election  was  at  hand,  and  the  copperhead  leg 
islature  of  Indiana  had  made  it  impossible  for  her  soldiers 
to  vote  in  the  field.  And  the  traitors  hoped  for  much  in 
that  fact ;  but  the  loyal  managers  circumvented  that.  The 
presence  of  the  boys  at  the  polls  had  a  wholesome  effect  on 
the  copperheads ;  and  the  honor  of  Indiana  was  saved  on 
this  occasion,  as  it  was  in  the  field,  in  the  memorable  cam 
paign  that  followed. 


THE    HOOD    CAMPAIGN.  233 


THE  HOOD  CAMPAIGN. 

At  4  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  November  13,  '64  the 
furloughed  men  arrived  at  Bridgeport,  Ala.,  where  the  rest 
of  the  command  had  been  since  October  18,  guarding  the 
Tennessee  River  fortifications,  about  half  a  mile  below  the 
town.  Three  gunboats  lay  near  us,  in  the  river,  their  dark 
sides  and  turrets  looming  above  the  banks,  like  so  many 
huge  monsters.  Hood  had  left  Sherman  to  wend  his  way 
to  the  sea,  and  was  swinging  around  toward  us.  We  felt 
wonderfully  encouraged  by  the  glorious  victory  at  the  polls, 
and  regarded  it  the  precursor  of  more  glorious  conclusions 
with  rebels  in  arms.  We  were  eager  for  it.  Nor  had  we 
long  to  wait.  The  23d  Corps,  under  Schofield,  at  Resaca, 
was  directed  to  concentrate  at  Pulaski,  and  was  on  its  way, 
in  the  rear  of  the  4th  Corps.  On  November  5,  Schofield, 
with  the  advance  of  the  23d  Corps,  arrived  at  Nashville, 
and  was  ordered  to  join  the  4th  Corps  at  Pulaski,  and  to 
assume  command  of  all  the  troops  in  that  vicinity. 

On  November  14,  the  Fifty-First  got  orders  to  prepare 
for  marching.  Hood  was  expected  to  make  an  attack  on 
Chattanooga  or  Pulaski  ;  and  our  regiment  was  a  part  of  a 
large  force  lying  convenient  to  either  point,  and  ready  to 
rush  promptly  to  either,  when  Hood  should  make  his  ap 
pearance.  We  had  had  very  heavy  rains  at  Bridgeport, 
and  the  river  was  booming.  About  all  we  could  do  was  to 
drill  the  recruits,  which  in  the  dreadfully  muddy  condition 
of  our  camp,  was  very  unpleasant.  Most  of  the  original 
officers  were  preparing  to  be  mustered  out  on  December  14, 


234  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

at  expiration  of  service,  and  the  non- veterans  expected  to 
go  at  the  same  time. 

Bundling  up  in  a  hurry,  we  proceeded  to  Nashville  at 
once,  where,  after  a  tedious  wait  till  8  o'clock  that  evening, 
we  started  for  Pulaski,  landing  there  in  mud  knee  deep, 
with  a  fine  prospect  of  a  battle  before  morning.  Fortu 
nately  for  us,  Hood  was  delayed.  According  to  his  report, 
he  had  contemplated  a  grand  nourish,  that  would  astonish 
the  world.  Going  on  from  his  defeat  at  Atlanta,  he  says  : 

"From  Villanow,  the  army  passed  through  the  gaps  in  the  moun 
tains  and  halted  at  Cross  Roads,  9  miles  south  of  Lafayette  [about  half 
way  between  Chattanooga  and  Rome]. 

After  halting  two  days  at  Cross  Roads,  I  decided  to  make  provision 
for  twenty  days'  supply  ot  rations  in  haversacks  and  wagons;  to  cross 
the  Tennessee  at  or  near  Guntersville,  and  again  destroy  Sherman's  com 
munications  at  Stevenson  and  Bridgeport ;  to  move  on  Thomas  and  Scho- 
h'eld,  and  attempt  to  rout  and  capture  their  army  before  it  could  reach 
Nashville,  I  intended  then  to  march  upon  that  city,  where  I  would  sup 
ply  the  army  and  reinforce  it  if  possible,  by  accessions  from  Tennessee. 
1  was  imbued  with  the  belief  that  I  could  accomplish  this  feat,  afterward 
march  northeast,  pass  the  Cumberland  River,  and  move  into  Kentucky. 
In  this  position  I  could  threaten  Cincinnati,  and  recruit  the  army  from 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee," 

And  so  on,  for  quantity.  What  a  wonderful  dreamer  ! 
Like  "Weasel,"  he  would  have  done  something  awful  and 
desperate  —  "if  possible!"  There  was  in  Hood  a  gorge  of ' 
crust  with  a  grudge  of  filling.  He  was  the  victim  of  mis 
placed  self-confidence  ;  and  discovered,  long  before  he  was 
through,  that  he  had  bitten  off  more  than  lie  could  chew. 
Hood  went  to  Gadsden,  where  he  met  Beauregard  ;  and  on 
weighing  their  combined  brain,  concluded  that  they  "were 
not  competent  to  offer  pitched  battle  to  Sherman,"  nor  to 
even  follow  him,  lest  the  movement  might  be  construed 
into  another  disgraceful  retreat,  "which  would  entail  de 
sertions."  After  two  days'  deliberation,  Beauregard  told 
him  to  go  into  Tennessee.  Hood  proceeded  to  Guntersville, 
where  he  intended  crossing  the  river ;  but  learning  that 
Forrest,  on  whom  he  depended  largely,  was  near  Jackson,. 
Tennessee,  and  could  not  cross  the  river,  he  pushed  on  to- 


THE    HOOD    CAMPAIGN.  235 

Florence.  This  move  gave  us  a  chance  to  straighten  up 
at  Pulaski,  and  to  have  things  ready  for  their  reception. 
Special  rations  of  sourkrout ,  onions  and  a  superior  quality 
of  bacon  were  issued  to  us,  and  we  were  happy  and  defiant. 
Our  regiment  had  recently  been  recruited,  and  numbered 
now  951.  Capt.  Will  Scearce  was  in  command  of  the  regi 
ment  ;  and  felt  like  making  up  for  his  sad  experience  in 
"Libby."  He  ordered  the  erection  of  "shebangs"  from 
the  wreckage  of  houses  torn  down  for  fortifications,  putting 
up  comfortable  bunks,  and  supplying  the  boys  with  every 
thing  the  country  afforded.  Patterson,  the  "skinner,"  was 
there,  to  fret  our  souls  ;  but  even  he  proved  a  blessing  in 
the  end.  For,  when  we  had  to  move,  the  call  was  so  short 
that  he  had  not  time  to  load  his  stuff  in  his  wagons  ;  so  he 
told  the  boys  to  help  themselves  ;  which  they  did. 

Hood,  with  his  army  replenished,  and  rested  up,  then 
crossed  the  Tennessee,  and  on  November  21  was  in  motion. 
His  army  consisted  of  45,000  infantry,  and  12,000  to  15,000 
cavalry.  His  hope  was  "by  a  rapid  march  to  get  in  rear  of 
Schofield 's  forces,  before  they  were  able  to  reach  Duck 
River."  The  available  force  of  Thomas  was  less  than  half 
that  of  Hood,  comprising  only  about  12,000  under  Stanley, 
10,000  under  Schofield,  about  4,000  cavalry  under  Hatch, 
Croxton's  brigade  of  2,500,  and  Capron's  of  1,200;  in  all 
about  30,000.  The  forces  engaged  in  battle,  were  at  least 
three  rebels  to  one  Union. 

Hood  commenced  his  move  northward  from  Florence, 
011  parallel  roads  ;  and  on  the  23d  a  portion  of  his  force 
took  possession  of  Pulaski,  with  but  little  resistance.  As 
he  advanced,  Thomas  and  Schofield,  who  were  directly  in 
the  way  of  his  march,  covering  the  approaches  to  Nashville, 
retreated  slowly  and  in  good  order  in  that  direction.  The 
whole  Union  force  was  not  yet  concentrated  ;  and  the  chiefs 
at  both  Washington  and  Richmond  seemed  persuaded  that 
it  was  not  likely  to  be  in  time  to  save  our  little  army.  But 
Thomas  was  sufficient  for  the  occasion.  He  wisely  deter- 


236  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

mined  to  fight  the  decisive  battle  of  the  campaign  with  all 
the  troops  his  department  could  furnish,  and  as  near  his 
base  as  possible. 

As  we  approached  Columbia,  Cos.  C  and  I,  under  com 
mand  of  Captain  Hamilton,  were  thrown  out  as  skirmish 
ers  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  railroad  round-house.  The 
rebels  attacked  them,  and  firing  was  kept  up  all  night.  In 
the  morning  our  skirmishers  were  driven  in,  when  Cos.  B 
and  K,  commanded  by  Lieutenants  Arnold  and  Scearce, 
were  sent  to  reinforce  them.  They  drove  the  rebels  back, 
and  burned  several  residences  the  johnnies  had  taken  ref 
uge  in.  While  doing  this,  Sergeant  Hurst,  of  Co.  B,  went 
to  a  well  to  get  a  drink,  when  he  was  shot  dead.  He  was 
taken  back  and  buried  in  the  camp.  We  held  the  skirmish 
line  during  the  day,  falling  back  leisurely.  Just  at  night 
fall,  Charles  Eaves,  of  Co.  K,  received  a  severe  gunshot  in 
his  thigh.  He  survived  it,  however. 

On  the  26th,  the  enemy  invested  Columbia.  Schofield 
commanded  the  Union  rear-guard.  An  effort  was  made  to 
cross  to  the  north  side  of  Duck  River  that  night,  but  failed 
on  account  of  a  severe  storm  and  intense  darkness.  A  se 
vere  artillery  duel  was  kept  up  all  the  next  day,  and  after 
nightfall  our  forces  accomplished  a  crossing .  The  28th  was 
passed  quietly,  but  on  the  morning  of  the  29th  things  had 
a  very  critical  appearance .  Hood  was  crossing  the  river 
above,  and  was  aiming  to  cut  off  our  retreat  to  Franklin. 
Great  apprehension  was  felt  that  we  would  be  unable  to 
elude  this  movement ;  and  every  hour  of  delay  in  crossing 
our  supply  train ,  was  fraught  with  most  painful  anxiety . 

As  night  came  on  the  enemy's  line  was  extended  until 
a  corps  of  infantry  was  in  order  of  battle  facing  the  pike 
on  which  we  had  finally  got  straightened  out  and  were  now 
slowly  moving.  One  of  the  severest  tests  of  the  soldier's 
integrity,  was  in  marching  with  a  wagon  train.  This  was 
one  of  those  occasions,  our  regiment  bringing  up  the  rear, 
at  that.  There  was  not  more  than  half  enough  room  on 


BY    A    HAIR'S    BREADTH.  237 

the  side  of  the  road  to  march  comfortably  ;  and  we  were 
continually  being  called  upon  to  help  lift  a  wagon  out  of 
the  mud,  carrying  rails  for  a  long  distance  often  for  this 
purpose,  prying  and  heaving,  in  the  cold  and  rain,  already 
fatigued  from  loss  of  sleep.  But  the  boys  plodded  on  pa 
tiently  ;  not  realizing  the  imminent  danger  that  impended. 
It  would  have  been  a  simple  thing  for  the  enemy  along  the 
pike  to  press  forward  a  few  steps,  and  sweep  our  troops, 
artillery  and  train  from  the  road  in  utter  confusion  and 
rout ;  yet  no  interruption  was  offered  by  the  enemy .  The 
rebels  were  more  intent  on  getting  to  Nashville  before  that 
place  could  be  reinforced  from  other  points,  probably,  and 
believed  that  they  could  attend  to  us  afterward.  It  was 
known  that  Hood  had  been  crossing  all  of  his  cavalry,  and 
that  they  were  also  conveniently  posted  so  that  they  could 
have  dashed  in  on  us  at  a  dozen  points,  destroyed  our  sup 
ply  train,  and  captured  the  entire  force  guarding  it.  The 
troops  in  our  advance  had  a  considerable  fight  with  some 
of  this  cavalry ,  and  succeeded  in  driving  them  off ;  night 
coming  on  just  as  the  rebel  infantry  came  up  to  join  in. 

A   NARROW    ESCAPE. 

That  was  a  night  of  exquisite  agony  and  anxious  fear, 
to  those  who  knew  the  state  of  affairs  ;  but  the  unapprised 
were  very  differently  affected .  We  could  see  in  the  sky  the 
glare  of  camp-fires,  that  always  wTas  a  cheerful  sign  to  the 
weary  tramper,  and  supposed  the  advance  of  our  division 
was  going  into  camp  a  mile  or  more  ahead .  The  boys  were 
therefore  making  a  little  more  noise  than  usual  in  jollying 
each  other  about  what  we  would  have  for  supper.  As  the 
night  advanced,  some  became  very  sleepy,  and  occasionally 
one  would  sit  down  to  rest  till  the  rear-guard  came  up  and 
started  them  on  again.  Pickets  were  stationed  at  short  in 
tervals  all  along  the  roadside,  within  ten  steps  of  where  we 
were  passing;  but,  as  we  thought  they  were  our  pickets, 
and  the  pickets  thought  we  were  their  troops,  no  alarm  was 


238  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

felt  nor  created.  Occasionally  we  were  accosted  by  some 
one  who  had  already  been  in  camp,  with, 

"Hello !  what  rijment?" 

"Same  old  rijment"  was  the  reply. 

Then  an  officer  rode  along  the  line,  and  in  a  hoarse 
whisper  said  : 

"For  God's  sake,  boys,  don't  open  your  heads  ;  there's 
the  whole  rebel  army  !" 

This  announcement  was  to  us  like  the  opening  of  the 
eyes  of  Elisha's  servant,  among  the  mountains  of  Syria. 
There  it  was,  sure  enough,  spread  out  all  over  the  hillside, 
for  miles,  and  the  fellows  who  were  inquiring  "what  rij 
ment?"  were  the  pickets  who  had  just  gone  on  duty.  We 
didn't  utter  a  sound  ;  and  there  was  no  more  straggling 
that  night.  Hundreds  of  the  wagons  had  already  halted, 
and  were  being  parked  at  Spring  Hill ;  the  teams  were  put 
in  motion  again  hastily,  and  we  did  not  stop  till  we  had 
put  a  good  mile  between  our  pickets  and  the  rebels'.  As 
we  filed  off  then  to  the  right,  across  the  fields,  each  soldier 
took  a  rail,  with  which  to  construct  fortifications  ;  and  we 
soon  had  a  good  line  of  defence  along  our  entire  front.  It 
was  one  of  the  times  when  the  boys  hankered  for  picks  and 
shovels.  They  usually  didn't. 

Next  morning  we  started  quite  early,  and  soon  were 
skirmishing  with  Forrest's  cavalry.  About  2  miles  above 
Spring  Hill,  at  a  place  where  a  long  grassy  slope  led  up  to  a 
wooded  cove,  a  body  of  cavalry  numbering  about  500  made 
a  feint  of  attacking  us.  Some  of  them  dashed  in  and  set 
fire  to  two  of  our  wagons,  and  then  fled.  At  this  juncture 
Lieutenant  Baldwin,  of  the  6th  Ohio  Battery,  brought  up  a 
gun,  and  in  half  a  minute  had  sighted  it  and  sent  a  shell 
whizzing  into  the  enemy's  midst,  the  explosion  being  so  ex 
ceedingly  well-timed  as  to  unhorse  more  than  a  score  of  the 
"critter-back"  johnnies,  and  sent  the  rest  skurrying  into 
the  woods. 


REBEL  HOOD'S  REPORT.  239 

Re.port  of  Rebel  Gen.  J.  B.  I  food. 
[Abbreviated  from  "Advance  and  Retreat."] 

"The  Federals  at  Pulaski  became  alarmed,  and  by  forced  marches 
reached  Columbia,  on  Duck  River,  just  in  time  to  prevent  our  troops  from 
cutting  them  off.  The  enemy  having  formed  line  of  battle  around  Co 
lumbia,  Lee's  corps  filed  into  position  with  its  right  on  the  Mt.  Pleasant 
pike;  Stewart's  formed  on  Lee's  right,  his  own  right  flank  extending  to 
the  Pulaski  pike;  and  Cheatham  established  his  left  on  the  latter  pike, 
with  his  right  resting  on  Duck  River.  Headquarters  were  established  at 
the  residence  of  Mrs.  Warfield,  about  3  miles  south  of  Columbia.  The 
two  armies  l«.y  opposite  each  other  during  the  27th.  The  Federals  being 
entrenched,  I  determined  not  to  attack  them  in  their  breastworks,  if  I 
could  possibly  avoid  it,  but  to  permit  them  to  cross  undisturbed  to  the 
north  bank  of  Duck  River  that  night,  as  I  supposed  they  would  do;  to 
hasten  preparations,  and  endeavor  to  place  the  main  body  of  the  Confed 
erate  army  at  Spring  Hill,  12  miles  directly  in  the  enemy's  rear,  and 
about  mid-way  on  the  only  pike  leading  to  Franklin;  to  attack  as  the 
Federals  retreated,  and  put  to  rout  and  capture,  if  possible,  their  army, 
which  was  the  sole  obstacle  between  our  forces  and  Nashville  —  in  truth, 
the  only  barrier  to  the  success  of  the  campaign. 

[Strange,  that  such  a  little  thing  as  an  army  should 
be  ' '  the  only  obstacle ' '  to  their  success  !  That  seemed  to 
be  the  chief  trouble  at  Atlanta,  too.  In  fact,  the  disgrace 
ful  and  humiliating  failure  of  the  entire  Southern  slaveoc- 
racy,  and  the  removal  of  the  stain  and  stench  of  the  inhu 
man  system  on  which  it  was  based  and  fed,  was  due  to  the 
same  "obstacle"  —  the  loyal  army.] 

I  was  confident  that  after  Schofield  had  crossed  the  river,  and  placed 
that  obstruction  between  our  respective  armies,  he  would  feel  in  security, 
and  would  remain  in  his  position  at  least  a  sufficient  length  of  time  to 
allow  me  to  throw  pontoons  across  the  river  about  3  miles  above  his  left 
flank,  and  by  a  bold  and  rapid  march,  together  with  heavy  demonstra 
tions  in  his  front,  gain  his  rear  before  he  was  fully  apprised  of  my  object. 
As  I  apprehended  unnecessary  and  fatal  delay  might  be  occasioned  by 
the  appearance  of  the  enemy  on  the  line  of  march  to  the  rear,  I  decided 
to  bridge  the  river  that  night,  and  move  at  dawn  the  next  morning,  and 
to  leave  Lee  with  the  bulk  of  the  artillery  to  demonstrate  heavily  against 
Schofield,  and  follow  him  if  he  retired.  I  resolved  to  go  in  person  at  the 
head  of  the  advance  brigade,  and  lead  the  army  to  Spring  Hill.  Col. 
Presman  and  his  assistants  laid  the  pontoons  during  the  night  of  the  28th, 
about  3  miles  above  Columbia.  I  parsed  over  the  bridge  soon  after  day 
break,  and  moved  forward  at  the  head  of  a  Texas  brigade,  with  instruc 
tions  that  the  remaining  corps  and  divisions  follow.  Gen.  Forrest  had 


240  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

crossed  the  evening:  previous,  and  moved  to  the  front  and  right.  During 
the  march  the  Federal  cavalry  appeared  on  the  hills  to  our  left ;  not  a 
moment,  however,  was  lost  on  that  account,  as  the  army  was  marching- 
by  the  right  Hank,  and  was  prepared  to  face  at  any  instant  in  their  direc 
tion.  The  troops  moved  in  light  marching  order,  my  object  being  to  turn 
the  enemy's  flank  by  marching  rapidly  on  roads  parallel.  When  I  had 
gotten  well  on  his  flank,  the  enemy  discovered  my  intention.  The  cav 
alry  became  engaged  near  Spring  Hill,  but  the  trains  were  so  strongly 
guarded,  that  they  were  unable  to  break  through  them.  No  attention 
was  paid  to  the  enemy,  save  to  throw  out  a  few  sharp-shooters  in  his 
front.  I  well  knew  that  to  stop  and  lose  time  in  reconnoitering  would 
defeat  my  object,  which  was  to  reach  the  enemy's  rear,  and  cut  him  off 
from  Nashville.  1  also  knew  that  Schofield  was  occupied  in  his  front, 
since  I  could  distinctly  hear  the  roar  of  Lee's  artillery  at  Columbia, 
whilst  a  feint  was  made  to  cross  the  river.  Thus  I  led  the  main  body  of 
the  army  to  within  2  miles  and  in  full  view  of  the  pike  from  Columbia 
to  Spring  Hill  and  Franklin.  I  here  halted  about  3  p.  M.,  and  requested 
Gen.  Cheatham,  commanding  the  leading  corps,  and  Major  Gen.  Clai- 
burne  to  advance  to  the  spot  where,  sitting  upon  my  horse,  I  had  in  sight 
the  enemy's  wagons  and  men  passing  at  double-quick  along  the  Frank 
lin  pike.  As  these  officers  approached,  I  spoke  to  Cheatham  in  the  fol 
lowing  words,  which  I  quote  almost  verbatim,  as  they  have  remained 
indelibly  engraved  upon  my  memory  ever  since  that  fatal  day:  'Gen 
eral,  do  you  see  the  enemy  there,  retreating  rapidly  to  escape  us?'  He 
answered  in  the  affirmative.  '  Go,' I  continued,  'with  your  corps,  take 
possession  and  hold  that  pike  at  or  near  Spring  Hill.  Accept  whatever 
comes,  and  turn  all  those  wagons  over  to  our  side  of  the  house.'  Then 
addressing  Claiburne,  I  said,  '  General,  you  have  heard  the  orders  just 
given.  You  have  one  of  my  best  divisions.  Go  with  Gen.  Cheatham, 
assist  him  in  every  way  you  can,  and  do  as  he  directs.'  Again,  as  a  part 
ing  injunction  to  them,  I  added,  'Go  and  do  this  at  once.  Stewart  is 
near  at  hand,  and  I  will  have  him  double-quick  his  men  to  the  front.' 

They  immediately  sent  staff  officers  to  hurry  the  men  forward,  and 
moved  off  with  their  troops  at  a  quick  pace  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy. 
I  dispatched  several  of  my  staff  to  the  rear,  with  orders  to  Stewart  and 
Johnson  to  make  all  possible  haste.  Within  about  one-half  hour  from 
the  time  Cheatham  left  me,  skirmishing  began  with  the  enemy,  when  I 
rode  forward  to  a  point  nearer  the  pike,  and  again  sent  a  staff  officer  to 
Stewart  and  Johnson  to  push  forward.  At  this  juncture  the  messenger 
returned  with  the  report  that  the  road  had  not  been  taken  possession  of. 
By  this  hour  twilight  was  upon  us,  when  Gen.  Cheatham  rode  up  in  per 
son.  I  at  once  directed  Stewart  to  halt,  and  turning  to  Cheatham,  I 
exclaimed  with  deep  emotion,  as  I  felt  the  golden  opportunity  fast  slip 
ping  from  me,  'General,  why  in  the  name  of  God  have  you  not  attacked 
the  enemy,  and  taken  possession  of  that  pike? '  He  replied  that  the  line 
looked  a  little  too  long  for  him.  *I  could  hardly  believe  it  possible  that 


BATTLE    OF    FRANKLIN.  241 

this  brave  old  soldier  would  make  such  a  report.  After  leading  him  in 
full  view  of  the  enemy,  retreating  in  great  haste  and  confusion,  T  would  as 
soon  have  expected  midday  to  turn  to  darkness,  as  for  him  to  disobey  my 
orders.  Darkness  soon  closed  upon  us,  and  Stewart's  corps,  after  much 
annoyance,  went  into  bivouac  for  the  night,  near  but  not  across  the  pike, 
at  about  11  or  12  o'clock.  It  was  reported  to  me  after  this  hour  that  the 
enemy  was  marching  along  the  road,  almost  under  the  campfires  of  the 
main  body  of  the  army.  The  Federals  with  immense  wagon  trains  were 
permitted  to  march  by  us  the  remainder  of  the  night,  within  gunshot  of 
our  lines.  One  good  division  could  have  routed  the  enemy  which  was  at 
Spring  Hill,  making  it  an  easy  matter  to  capture  Schofield's  army  that 
afternoon  and  the  ensuing  day." 

The  best  move  in  my  career  as  a  soldier,  I  was  thus  destined  to  be 
hold  come  to  naught.  The  army,  after  a  forward  march  of  180  miles,  was 
still,  seemingly,  unwilling  to  accept  battle  unless  under  the  protection  of 
breastworks. 

[That's  right.  He  should  not  have  been  surprised  at 
it,  though,  as  it  was  a  well  known  characteristic  of  the  en 
tire  rebel  army.] 

I  hereupon  decided,  before  the  enemy  would  be  able  to  reach  bi& 
stronghold  at  Nashville,  to  overtake  and  drive  him  in  the  Big  Harpeth 
river  at  Franklin,  18  miles  from  Spring  Hill." 

The  clanger  we  passed  through  that  night  will  not  be 
easily  forgotten.  It  was  like  awakening  from  a  horrible 
nightmare,  and  the  boys  shudder  as  they  look  back  on  our 
situation  then.  Nor  was  the  danger  past  when  we  arrived 
at  Spring  Hill.  There  were  800  wagons,  including  artil 
lery  and  ambulances,  that  had  to  pass  singly  over  a  bridge, 
and  it  was  5  o'clock  A.M.  when  the  last  wagon  crossed. 

BATTLE    OF    FRANKLIN. 

The  lie  ad  of  the  column  reached  Franklin  at  daylight, 
November  30,  but  the  rear-guard  did  not  arrive  until  late 
in  the  afternoon  ;  finding  the  23d  Corps  occupying  some 
hastily  constructed  works  ;  our  troops  joining  their  right, 
in  a  line  running  southeast,  both  flanks  resting  on  Harpeth 
River.  Wood's  division  crossed  on  the  railroad  bridge,  so 
as  to  be  ready  to  support  either  flank,  in  case  the  rebels  at 
tempted  a  turn.  The  line  rested  on  a  slight  elevation,  and 
constructed  breastworks,  writh  additional  abattis  in  places. 

16 


242  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

The  cavalry  was  posted  on  both  sides  of  the  town,  on  the 
north  bank.  The  artillery  of  the  23d  Corps  crossed  to  the 
north  side,  while  that  of  the  4th  Corps  remained  on  the 
south  side,  some  batteries  being  in  the  line,  and  others  in 
reserve.  The  position  was  a  good  one  for  defence. 

Schofield 's  object  in  making  a  stand  here,  was  simply 
to  detain  Hood  until  the  trains  could  be  crossed  safely  over 
Harpeth  River,  and  well  on  their  way  to  Nashville.  That 
of  Hood  was  to  overwhelm  Schofield,  compel  the  sacrifice 
of  his  artillery  and  stores,  and  then  to  secure  possession  of 
Nashville.  His  men  were  encouraged  by  the  immediate 
prospect  of  looting  that  city,  and  then  making  a  complete 
sweep  to  the  Ohio  River.  He  hurried  up  his  troojts,  there 
fore,  and  massed  them  behind  a  screen  of  thick  woods  in  a 
line  almost  parallel  with  the  Union  line,  and  extending  to 
the  river,  on  the  east,  where  Forrest  crossed  his  guerrillas, 
but  was  held  in  splendid  check  by  Wilson's  cavalry.  This 
was  done  so  rapidly  that  Schofield  was  almost  surprised. 

The  enemy  advanced  with  two  corps  heavily  massed  on 
the  Columbia  road,  and  one  corps  in  reserve,  meeting  with 
little  resistance  ;  Wagner's  two  brigades,  in  their  immedi 
ate  front,  having  been  instructed  to  check  them  without 
involving  our  army  in  a  general  engagement.  Slowly  our 
skirmishers  retreated  to  their  works,  exchanging  a  sharp 
fire  with  those  of  the  enemy  ;  then  came  a  terrific  outburst 
of  artillery ,  and  the  entire  line  of  rebel  skirmishers  rushed 
forward,  quickly  followed  by  the  massive  lines  of  Cheat- 
ham  and  Stewart,  four  deep.  They  met  the  first  resistance 
in  these  two  brigades,  that  withstood  them  with  great  per 
sistency,  till  compelled  to  retire.  It  was  about  3  :  30  P.  M. 
when  the  rebel  skirmishers  began  moving,  and  the  battle 
from  that  on  was  a  succession  of  ferocious  assaults,  bloody 
hand-to-hand  struggles  and  horrid  scenes  of  carnage  and 
destruction  that  beggar  description.  With  terrible  yells  of 
confident  victory,  the  thirsty  rebels  came  on  ;  our  lines  fall 
ing  back  in  most  perfect  order,  indicating  the  presence  of 


BATTLE    OF    FRANKLIN.  243 

veterans ,  without  whom  the  rebels  would  have  swept  every 
thing  before  them.  No  other  troops  of  like  proportion  in 
numbers,  could  withstand  such  charges.  They  were  like 
the  sturdy,  well-rooted  oak  in  the  grapple  of  a  cyclone.  At 
length  one  of  Cheatham's  divisions  gained  the  outworks 
held  by  Wagner,  and  forced  him, back  on  the  stronger  lines 
held  by  Cox  and  Ruger.  The  rebels  then  reformed  their 
lines,  and  again  rushed  on  ;  and  after  a  most  desperate  and 
bloody  contest,  penetrated  the  second  line  of  defenses,  cap 
turing  two  guns.  The  impetuosity  of  this  charge  swept 
both  Union  and  rebel  forces  clear  over  the  fortifications. 
In  a  moment  thousands  of  Union  and  rebel  soldiers  were 
mixed  in  an  almost  inextricable  mass,  each  side  demanding 
the  surrender  of  the  other.  The  situation  had  become  crit 
ical  in  the  last  degree.  Bayonets  and  swords  and  pistols 
were  freely  used ,  and  guns  were  clubbed .  This  contest  did 
not  last  more  than  twenty  minutes,  but  it  resulted  in  half 
of  the  entire  loss  on  both  sides  ;  and  with  the  clashing  of 
arms  and  the  yelling  of  the  combatants,  it  was  an  accumu 
lated  pandemonium.  At  this  supreme  moment,  Opdycke's 
brigade,  of  Warren's  division,  which  had  been  in  reserve, 
was  ordered  forward,  with  Conrad's  brigade,  in  support. 
Opdycke's  voice  was  immediately  heard,  ringing  clear  and 
loud  above  the  tumult.  Passing  down  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Carter  House  on  foot,  with  a  revolver  in  each  hand,  he 
shouted  to  his  command  : 

' '  First  brigade ,  forward  to  the  works  ! ' ' 

His  brave  men  responded  promptly  to  the  call.  On 
they  went,  with  firm  and  steady  step  ;  with  crushing  weight 
they  fell  upon  the  exultant  rebel  columns.  Having  emp 
tied  his  revolvers,  Opdycke  seized  a  musket,  and  fought  till 
victory  was  gained,  and  the  rebels  not  only  checked,  but 
driven  back  with  fearful  slaughter. 

The  break  through  the  center  of  the  Union  lines  was 
closed,  and  the  assault  repelled  from  one  end  of  the  line  to 
the  other.  By  this  our  works  and  guns  were  recovered, 


244  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

and  400  prisoners  and  10  battle-flags  captured.  Again  and 
again,  in  four  successive  assaults,  Hood  flung  Ins  hungry 
men,  as  if  with  the  energy  of  despair,  on  the  now  .compact 
Union  lines  ;  but  all  in  vain.  The  recaptured  artillery,  8 
-pieces,  were  again  turned  on  the  rebels,  while  sheet  upon 
sheet  of  flame  sprang  with  certain  aim  from  the  veterans, 
whose  soldierly  instincts  led  them  unbidden  to  anticipate 
the  wishes  of  their  brave  commander.  And  as  he  dashed 
into  the  breach,  each  gallant  comrade  shouted,  "We  can 
go  where  the  general  can  ! ' '  Four  regimental  commanders 
fell  in  the  charge,  but  other  officers  of  equal  ability  and 
zeal  were  ready  to  take  their  places.  From  that  time  on, 
we  held  the  line,  until  the  entire  place  was  evacuated  in 
excellent  order  during  the  early  hours  of  the  next  morning. 
It  was  midnight  before  the  sounds  of  musketry  and  artil 
lery  had  ceased. 

That  battle  stands  without  an  equal  in  the  history  of 
the  world,  in  the  number  and  vigor  of  its  oft-repeated  re 
pulses —  bloody,  ferocious,  impetuous  and  terrible  ;  and  its 
effect  was  most  plainly  visible  upon  every  part  of  the  rebel 
service.  Cleburne,  who  was  a  dashing  officer,  and  one  of 
Hood's  most  capable  division  commanders,  doubtless  with 
a  desire  to  repair  his  gross  mistake  at  Spring  Hill,  led  his 
repeated  assaults  with  the  expression  of  frenzied  vengeance 
and  valor,  his  men  following  him  to  the  very  points  of  the 
Union  bayonets,  and  falling  with  him  upon  the  parapet  in 
front  of  Opdycke's  brigade.  The  moral  effect  of  this  fight 
on  the  rebel  rank  and  file,  may  be  judged  by  the  following, 
from  an  old  rebel  soldier  who  fought  under  Pat.  Cleburne 
on  that  awful  day  : 

"  We  were  awake  early  the  next  morning  to  discover  that  the  Yan 
kees  had  crossed  the  river  during  the  night,  and  were  probably  well  on 
their  way  towards  Nashville.  We  were  glad  they  were  gone.  Hood 
seemed  to  be  stupefied  at  the  disaster  that  had  befallen  us.  He  allowed 
his  discouraged  army  to  remain  in  camp  by  that  bloody  battlefield.  The 
repeated  disasters  we  had  encountered  under  Hood  had  dampened  our 
ardor.  The  unwise  rambling  of  our  men  over  the  battlefield  of  Franklin 


BATTLE    OF    FRANKLIN.  245 

broke  their  spirit.  We  could  not  fight  tit  Nashville.  We  lost  that  fight 
because  the  specter  of  Franklin,  livid,  with  distorted  features,  with  blood- 
streaming  wounds,  with  ghastly,  horror-stricken  eyes,  stalked  among  us. 
It  was  in  the  columns  as  we  marched;  it  rode  astride  of  the  Napoleons; 
it  sat  by  our  camp-fires;  it  stood  in  the  trenches  at  Nashville,  and  it  lay 
in  the  rifle-pits  o'  nights." 

The  Union  losses  were  great,  but  were  not  to  be  com 
pared  with  those  of  the  enemy.  This  is  more  wonderful, 
when  it  is  remembered  that,  beside  the  rebels  having  near 
or  quite  three  times  our  numbers,  our  troops  had  had  no 
rest  in  the  48  hours  preceding  the  battle.  They  were  not 
too  tired  to-do  the  honors  of  the  occasion.  Cheatham  was 
correct  in  thinking  our  line  was  "too  long  for  him." 

Hood's  Report  of  the  Franklin  Fight. 

"Within  about  3  miles  of  Franklin,  the  enemy  was  discovered  on 
the  ridge  over  which  passes  the  turnpike.  It  was- about  3  p.  M.  [Nov.  30} 
when  Stewart  moved  to  the  right  of  the  pike  and  began  to  establish  his 
position  in  front  of  the  enemy.  Cheatham  filed  oft  to  the  left  of  the 
road ;  the  artillery  was  instructed  to  take  no  part  in  the  engagement,  on 
account  of  the  danger  to  which  women  and  children  in  the  village  would 
be  exposed  ;  Forrest  was  ordered  to  post  cavalry  on  both  flanks,  to  cap 
ture  those  who  attempted  to  escape;  Lee's  corps  was  held  in  reserve. 
The  two  corps  advanced  in  battle  array  about  4  p.  M,,  and  soon  swept 
away  the  first  line  of  the  P'ederals,  who  were  driven  back  upon  the  main 
line.  At  this  moment  resounded  a  concentrated  roar  of  musketry,  which 
recalled  tome  some  of  the  deadliest  struggles  in  Virginia;  the  contest 
continued  to  rage  with  intense  fury.  Just  at  this  critical  moment,  a  brig 
ade,  reported  to  be  Stanley's,  gallantly  charged  and  restored  the  Federal 
line,  capturing  at  the  same  time  1,000  of  our  troops.  Still  the  ground  was 
obstinately  contested,  and  at  several  points  on  the  immediate  sides  of  the 
breastworks,  the  combatants  endeavored  to  use  the  musket  on  each  other, 
by  inverting  and  raising  it  perpendicularly,  in  order  to  fire;  neither  being 
able  to  retreat  without  almost  a  certainty  of  death.  It  was  reported  that 
soldiers  were  even  dragged  from  one  side  of  the  breastworks  to  the  other 
by  reaching  over  and  seizing  the  enemy  by  the  hair  or  collar.  *  The 
struggle  continued  till  9  p.  M.,  when  followed  skirmishing  till  3  A.  M.  the 
ensuing  morning.  Our  loss  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners 

was  4,500." 

According  to  Van  Home,  [vol.  ii,  p.  202,]  the  Fourth 
Corps  alone  expended  one  hundred  wagon-loads  of  ammu 
nition  in  this  battle.  Hood  buried  1,750  men  on  the  field. 
He  had  3,800  so  disabled  as  to  be  placed  in  hospitals,  and 


246  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

lost  702  captured  ;  an  aggregate  of  6,252,  exclusive  of  those 
slightly  wounded.  General  Schofield  lost  189  killed,  1,033 
wounded,  and  1,104  missing;  an  aggregate  of  2,326. 

Gen.  T.  J.  Wood's  division  retained  its  position,  near 
the  railroad  bridge,  until  the  rest  of  the  troops  had  with 
drawn  ;  then,  destroying  the  bridges,  they  followed  as  the 
rear-guard  of  the  army,  the  Fifty-First  Indiana  bringing 
up  the  extreme  rear,  with  Wilson's  cavalry  on  its  flanks, 
and  with  which  they  were  able  to  beat  back  the  head  of  the 
rebel  column.  With  the  exception  of  a  little  skirmish  at 
Brentwood,  a  little  more  than  half  way  between  Franklin 
and  Nashville,  they  gave  us  no  trouble  on  the  way. 

When  we  arrived  at  Nashville,  about  1  r.  M.,  Thurs 
day,  December  1,  '64,  the  Union  line  of  battle  was  formed 
on  the  hights  immediately  surrounding  that  city.  A.  J, 
Smith's  corps  from  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  which  had 
arrived  just  the  day  before,  held  the  right,  with  its  flank 
touching  the  river  below  the  city.  The  23d  Corps,  under 
General  Schofield,  was  assigned  to  the  left,  extending  to 
the  Nolinsville  pike;  Gen.  T.  J.  Wood,  commanding  the 
4th  Corps,  occupied  the  center,  opposite  Montgomery  Hill. 
Wilson's  cavalry  was  directed  to  take  position  on  the  left 
of  Schofield  ;  which  would  make  safe  the  interval  between 
his  left  and  Cumberland  River  above  the  city.  Steedman 
took  up  a  position  about  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  left  cen 
ter  of  the  main  line ,  and  on  the  left  of  the  Nolinsville  pike . 

And  "Old  Pap"  Thomas  directing  it  all. 

On  the  3d,  General  Thomas  moved  all  the  remaining 
cavalry  to  Gallatin  and  across  the  river  to  Edgefield,  and 
then  Steedman  covered  the  space  between  Schofield  and 
the  river. 

At  the  same  time  Hood  approached  the  city,  drove  in 
our  outposts,  and  on  the  4th  established  his  main  line,  with 
his  salient  on  Montgomery  Hill,  directly  facing  the  Fifty- 
First,  and  within  600  yards  of  our  center.  His  main  line 
Occupied  the  high  ground  on  the  southeast  side  of  Brown's 


"JUST    BEFORE    THE    BATTLE,  MOTHER."  247 

Creek,  and  extending  from  the  Nolinsville  pike  —  his  ex 
treme  right,  across  the  Franklin  and  Granny  White  pikes, 
in  a  westerly  direction  to  the  hills  south  and  southwest  of 
Richland  Creek ,  and  down  that  creek  to  the  Hillsboro  pike , 
with  cavalry  and  guerrillas  extending  from  both  flanks  to 
the  river.  Artillery  opened  on  him  from  several  points  on 
the  line,  without  eliciting  any  response.  With  this  dispo 
sition  of  his  troops,  Hood  began  to  intrench  vigorously, 
and  continued  so  to  do  up  to  the  morning  of  the  15th,  with 
little  or  no  change. 

JUST    BEFORE    THE    BATTLE. 

Friday,  December  2,  the  paymaster  visited  us,  and  we 
received  two  months'  pay,  with  the  addition,  to  "veterans," 
of  the  installment  of  bounty  due.  We  were  also  cheered 
by  the  wonderful  good  fortune  that  had  attended  us  during 
our  retreat  from  Pulaski,  and  by  the  announcement  that 
heavy  reinforcements  were  coming.  Each  day  we  looked 
for  an  attack,  and  increased  vigilance  was  observed  to  pre 
vent  surprise  by  Hood,  who  had  sworn  to  eat  his  Christmas 
dinner  in  Nashville  or  in  hell.  He  found  it  convenient, 
however,  to  place  the  Tennessee  River  between  himself  and 
his  "only  obstacle"  before  he  hung  up  his  stocking. 

We  had  many  good  singers  in  our  regiment ;  and  there 
was  no  trouble  to  scare  up  a  full  orchestra  on  any  occasion , 
when  opportunity  offered,  and  the  instruments  could  be  ob 
tained.  But  our  voices  we  had  with  us  all  the  time  ;  and 
when  in  camp  or  on  the  march,  it  was  no  uncommon  thing 
for  one  to  start  a  song,  and  then  for  the  whole  regiment  to 
join  in  the  chorus.  Indeed,  it  became  necessary  at  times, 
when  crossing  a  bridge  that  was  a  little  shaky,  to  make  the 
boys  stop  singing,  and  break  step,  because  the  swinging 
motion  given  to  the  bridge  by  keeping  time,  threatened  to 
tear  the  structure  down.  But  let  us  get  into  camp  early  on 
a  pleasant  afternoon,  with  no  enemy  in  close  proximity, 
with  wood  and  water  and  good  rations  plenty  and  handy — 


248  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

just  as  we  were  then  ;  listen  to  the  boys,  as  they  broiled  a 
slice  of  bacon  or  beef  on  a  forked  stick,  or  boiled  a  fruit-can 
pot  of  coffee.  No  one  had  to  be  led  up  to  the  piano,  nor 
apologized  about  a  sore  throat,  nor  waited  for  an  invitation 
or  somebody  to  lead  off.  Each  one  was  a  master  ;  and  the 
less  melody  or  mellowness  a  voice  possessed,  the  greater 
reason  it  seemed  for  cultivating  it.  A  thought  would  come 
into  a  comrade's  mind,  of  how  pretty  the  old  flag  looked  as 
it  floated  out  in  front  of  headquarters,  and  instantly, 

"  O,  say,  can  you  see,  by  the  dawn's  early  light, 
What  so  proudly  we  hailed  in  the  twilight's  last  gleaming?" 

rang  out  loud  and  clear  ;  mingling  its  patriotic  incense 
with  the  delicious  fumes  of  the  coffee  and  bacon.  Then, 
as  the  moon  came  out  and  moved  serenely  across  the  clear 
sky,  some  love-sick  swain,  who  had  just  received  a  letter 
from  his  sweetheart,  would  break  forth  in 

"  Roll  on,  silver  moon ;  guide  the  traveler  on  his  way  ; 

While  the  nightingale's  song  is  in  tune. 
For  I  never,  never  more  with  my  true  love  will  stray 

By  the  sweet  silver  light  of  the  moon." 

And  how  sadly  true  this  proved  with  many.  Or  another, 
filled  with  a  hopeful  longing  for  the  sweet  Hoosier  girl  that 
occupied  the  bulk  of  his  heart,  would  launch  out  with 

"  O h  !  that  girl,  that  girl,  that  pretty  little  girl ; 

The  girl  I  left  behind  me  !  " 

And  wind  up  with  an  attempt  to  reproduce  it  with  his  feet, 
or  land  the  toe  of  his  bootee  into  the  anatomy  of  some 
good-natured  comrade,  to  whom  he  would  confide  the  fond 
assurance  that  she  was  the  nicest  girl  in  Indiana,  and  tell 
him  enough  of  the  contents  of  her  last  letter  to  prove  it. 
Over  in  the  next  company  you  might  hear 

"Dearest  love,  do  you  remember,  when  we  last  did  meet, 
How  you  told  me  that  you  loved  me,  kneeling  at  my  feet? 
Oh,  how  proud  you  stood  before  me,  in  your  suit  of  blue ; 
When  you  vowed  to  me  and  country  ever  to  be  true. 
Weeping  sad  and  lonely  : 

Hopes  and  fears  how  vain  ! 
Praying,  when  this  cruel  war  is  over, 
Praying  we  may  meet  again." 


POPULAR    WAR    SONGS. 

While  another,  snugged  down  in  his  dog- tent,  stretched  out 
on  the  flat  of  his  back,  contemplating  the  -grand  and  awful 
time"  in  which  we  were  living,  his  sweet  rich  voice  would 
breathe  the  noble  sentiment  of 

"  A  thousand  years,  my  own  Columbia  ! 

'  Tis  the  glad  day  so' long  foretold  ; 
'  Tis  the  glad  morn,  whose  early  twilight 

Washington  saw  in  days  of  old." 

Another  took  his  pipe  from  his  lips  long  enough  to  hum, 
"  Maxwelton  braes  are  bounie,  where  early  falls  the  dew; 
And  '  twas  there  that  Annie  Laurie  gave  me  her  promise  true." 

when  he  was  probably  broken  into  by 

"  Brave  boys  are  they  !  gone  at  their  country's  call ; 
And  yet,  and  yet,  we  cannot  forget,  that  many  brave  boys  must  ftUL" 

Down  the  quarters  strides  a  little  fellow,  with  his  cap 
to  one  side,  who  rings  out  with 

11  Sav,  darkies,  hab  you  seed  de  massa, 

Wid  de  muftash  on  his  face? 
He  pack  his  trunk  dis  mawnin'  mighty  airly, 

Like  he  gwine  to  leab  de  place." 
Instantly  he  would  be  joined  by  a  hundred  jolly  fellows  in 

the  chorus : 

"  Ole  massa  run,  ha!  ha! 

De  darkies  stay,  ho  !  ho  ! 
It  mus'  be  now  de  kingdom's  comin', 

An'  de  yeah  ob  jubilo  !  " 

These  were  all  popular  songs  of  those  days,  and  were 
sung  in  all  the  theatres  and  opera  halls  all  over  the  world. 
One  of  the  most  popular  was  "Babylon  has  fallen,"  which 
came  out  about  the  time  the  negro  was  introduced  in  the 
solution  of  his  social  and  commercial  relation  to  the  rest 
of  humanity  It  took  like  hot  cakes,  and  was  used  much 
in  retaliation  for  such  venomous  and  insulting  songs  as 
"Bonnie  Blue  Flag,"  which  was  sung  by  all  rebel  women 
whenever  occasion  offered : 

"  Don't  you  see  de  black  cloud  rising  ober  yender, 

Whar  de  massa's  ole  plantation  am  ? 
Xeber  you  be  frightened  ;  dem  is  only  darkies, 
Come  to  jine  an'  fight  for  Uncle  Sam  ! 


250  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

CHORUS:  Look  out,  dar,  now  ;  we's  gwine  to  shoot! 
Look  out,  dar;  don't  you  understand? 
Babylon  is  fallen  !  Babylon  is  fallen  ! 
An'  we's  gwine  to  occupy  de  land. 

Don't  you  see  de  lightnin'  flash  in'  in  de  cane-brake, 

Like  as  if  we's  gwine  to  hab  a  storm  ? 
No  !  you  is  mistaken  ;  'tis  de  darkies'  bay'nets, 

An'  de  buttons  on  dar  uniform. — Chorus. 

'Way  up  in  de  cornh'el',  whar  you  hear  de  thunder; 

Dar  is  our  ole  forty-pounder  gun  ; 
When  de  shells  is  missin',  den  we  load  wid  punkins; 

All  de  same  to  make  de  cowards  run. — Chorus. 

And  nowadays,  when  you  want  to  stir  the  old  boys,  as 
nothing  else  will,  just  start 

"Bring  the  good  old  bugle,  bovs  ;  we'll  have  another  song: 
Sing  it  with  the  spirit  that  will  start  the  world  along  : 
Sing  it  as  we  used  to  sing  it,  fifty  thousand  strong, 

While  we  were  marching  through  Georgia. 
CHORUS:     Hurrah!  hurrah!  we  bring  the  jubilee! 

Hurrah  !  hurrah  !  the  flag  that  makes* you  free  ! 
So  we  sang  the  chorus  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea, 

While  we  were  marching  through  Georgia. 
How  the  darkies  shouted,  when  the.y  heard  the  joyful  sound  ! 
How  the  turkeys  gobbled,  which  our  commissary  found  ! 
How  the  sweet  potatoes  even  started  from  the  ground  ! 
While  we  were  marching  through  Georgia. — Chorus. 

Yes,  and  there  were  Union  men  who  wept  with  joyful  tears, 
When  they  saw  the  honored  flag  they  had  not  seen  for  years: 
Hardly  could  they  be  restrained  from  breaking  forth  in  cheers! 
While  we  were  marching  through  Georgia. —  Chorus. 

Sherman's  dashing  Yankee  boys  will  never  reach  the  coast ! 
So  the  saucy  rebels  said  ;  and  't  was  a  handsome  boast. 
Had  they  not  forgot,  alas !  to  reckon  with  the  host? 

While  we  were  marching  through  Georgia. —  Chorus. 

So  we  made  a  thoroughfare  for  freedom  and  her  tram, 
Sixty  miles  in  latitude,  three  hundred  to  the  main  ; 
Treason  fled  before  us;  for  resistance  was  in  vain, 

While  we  were  marching  through  Georgia. —  Chorus. 

General  Sherman  heard  that  so  often,  that  he  came  to 
almost  hate  it ;  and  the  writer  has  seen  him  turn  with  an 
expression  of  disgust,  as  band  after  band,  followed  by  every 
variety  of  drum-corps,  each  shifting  hastily,  and  sometimes 


POPULAR    WAR    SONGS.  251 

awkwardly,  from  no  matter  what  they  were  playing,  to  the 
air  of  "Marching  through  Georgia;"  which  each  of  course 
intended  as  a  personal  compliment  to  "old  Tecump."  In 
Boston,  where,  at  the  National  Encampment  of  the  G.  A. 
R.,  he  stood  in  review  for  seven  mortal  hours,  listening  to 
the  endless  din,  250  bands  and  more  than  a  hundred  drum- 
corps  passed  him  ;  the  dying  notes  of  the  last  band  fairly 
dove-tailing  into  those  of  the  next,  playing  that  same  tune. 
It  is  said  that  the  old  general  got  so  mad,  that  he  swore  a 
big  oath  that  he  never  would  attend  another  Encampment, 
until  every  band  in  the  United  States  had  signed  an  agree 
ment  to  not  play  that  tune  in  his  presence.  That  was  his 
last  National  Encampment.  When  next  it  was  played  in 
his  presence,  it  was  as  a  dead  march  accompanying  his  fu 
neral  cortege. 

The  most  popular  of  all  the  army  songs,  however,  was 
"Johnny,  fill  up  the  bowl."     It  ran  as  follows  : 
"In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-one, 

So  bold  !  so  bold  ! 
In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-one, 

So  bold  !  so  bold  ! 

In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-one, 
The  war  had  then  but  just  begun  ; 
And  we'll  all  drink  stone-blind  : 

Johnny,  fill  up  the  bowl  ! 
In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-two, 

So  bold  !  so  bold  ! 
In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-two, 

So  bold  !  so  bold  ! 

In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-two, 
They  first  began  to  put  us  through  ; 
And  we'll  all  drink  stone-blind  : 

Johnny,  fill  up  the  bowl  ! 
In  eighteen  hunded  and  sixty-three, 

So  bold  !  so  bold  ! 
In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-three, 

So  bold  !  so  bold  ! 

In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-three, 
Abe  Lincoln  set  the  niggers  free; 
And  we'll  all  drink  stone-blind  : 
Johnny,  fill  up  the  bowl ! 


252  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-four, 

So  bold  !  so  bold  ! 
In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-four, 

So  bold  !  so  bold ! 

In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-four, 
We  all  went  in  for  three  years  more; 
And  we'll  all  drink  stone-blind  : 

Johnny,  fill  up  the  bowl ! 

In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-five, 

So  bold !  so  bold  ! 
In  eighteen  hundred_and  sixty-five, 

So  bold  !  so  bold  ! 

In  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-ffve 
We'll  all  be  glad  to  get  home  alive; 
And  we'll  all  drink  stone-blind  : 

Johnny,  fill  up  the  bowl ! 

While  this  was  being  sung,  some  one  would  chime  in 
with  "So,  ball !  so,  ball !"  Next  time,  another  would  ring 
out,  "Sow-belly  !  sow-belly  !"  and  another,  "S'boy  !  s'boyj" 
and  so  on  ;  till  every  change  was  rung  on  the  refrain.  As 
to  this  intoxication,  however,  it  was  a  fantastic  fiction  ;  the 
only  flowing  bowl  the  average  soldier  ever  had  "filled  up" 
for  him  by  "Johnny,"  or  by  anybody  else,  being  a  rusty 
old  tin-cup,  with  a  gill  of  the  nastiest  kind  of  commissary 
whisky,  so  loaded  with  quinine,  that  the  victim  would  howl 
with  agony  before  the  contents  fairly  touched  his  stomach  ; 
and  he  seldom  repeated  it. 

All  this  time,  our  mothers  and  wives  and  sisters  and 
sweethearts  at  home  were  doing  their  part.  In  addition  to 
the  packing  and  forwarding  of  nice  boxes  of  creature  com 
forts,  lint  and  bandages,  they  were  wielding  a  powerful 
moral  influence,  which  held  the  cowardly  copperheads  in 
check.  One  letter  told  about  a  young  fellow,  who,  having 
served  three  years,  and  also  through  the  "hundred  days" 
service,  was  present  at  a  copperhead  meeting  in  the  town 
where  he  lived.  On  their  way  home,  four  of  the  copper 
heads  gave  notice  that  they  were  going  over  to  "clean  him 
out."  Accordingly  they  went ;  but  he  was  prepared  for 
them,  and  shot  two  of  them  ;  killing  one,  and  badly  crip- 


.11  ST    BEFORE    THE    BATTLE.  253 

pling  the  other.  The  soldier  boy  was  arrested,  tried  and 
acquitted.  The  ladies  paid  his  attorney's  fee;  and  that 
night  gave  the  grandest  party  that  was  ever  known  in  that 
locality,  in  his  honor.  There  was  a  world  of  cheer  to  us  at 
the  front,  in  reports  of  such  doings  at  home,  which  assured 
us  that  our  interests  were  regarded  with  sacred  devotion  by 
our  noble  wromen. 

Picket  duty  in  front  of  Nashville  was  attended  with 
unusual  danger,  as  the  rebels  were  continually  on  the  alert 
for  any  surprise,  and  would  shoot  at  anything  that  had  the 
appearance  of  a  Yankee.  Corporal  Calvin  Dickerson,  on 
picket  on  the  9th  or  10th,  received  a  shot  that  went  clear 
through  both  legs,  just  below  the  knees.  He  was  a  non- 
veteran  ,  and  his  time  would  have  expired  on  the  14th . 

Lieut.  Geo.  W.  Scearce  declared  it  was  the  hottest  job 
he  ever  undertook.  He  was  ordered  to  take  Co.  K,  join 
the  skirmishers  in  front,  take  command,  and  drive  off  the 
rebels,  who  were  building  fortifications  right  in  our  front. 
On  reconnoitering,  the  lieutenant  reported  to  Col.  Streight 
that  the  rebels  were  too  many  for  him.  Colonel  Streight 
then  sent  his  orderly,  George  Gregg,  with  orders  for  them 
to  lie  down,  and  fall  back  under  cover  of  darkness.  This 
wras  the  only  thing  that  could  be  done,  as  there  was  a  con 
tinuous  sheet  of  flame  blazing  along  the  entire  line  as  they 
went  up.  Great  w^as  the  surprise,  when  the  men  reported 
in  camp  that  night,  on  discovering  that  not  a  single  man 
was  hurt.  The  suspense  during  the  hours  they  lay  on  that- 
bare  moor,  waiting  for  night,  was  something  terrible. 

In  the  reorganization  of  our  brigade,  we  were  placed 
with  the  8th  Kansas  ;  and  the  Fifty-First  still  lacking  in 
commissioned  officers,  Lieutenants  Slemrnens  and  Schultz, 
of  that  command,  were  assigned  to  duty  in  our  regiment, 
the  former  in  command  of  Co.  A,  and  the  latter  of  Co.  F. 
They  were  both  brave  and  efficient  officers,  and  won  the 
confidence  of  our  own  brave  boys  whom  they  led  in  the 
storm  of  battle  that  soon  came; 


254  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 


THE    BATTLE    OF    NASHVILLE. 

General  Thomas  had  been  waiting  impatiently  for  an 
opportunity  to  attack  Hood,  and  punish  him  for  his  temer 
ity.  He  had  hoped  to  be  ready  for  battle  on  the  7th,  but 
on  account  of  delay  in  remounting  the  cavalry,  he  was  not 
ready  until  the  9th  ;  and  then,  there  came  a  heavy  rain, 
accompanied  by  a  cold  wave,  that  covered  the  hills  around 
Nashville  with  a  coat  of  ice,  that  prevented  any  military 
movements  on  either  side,  and  rendered  a  battle  an  utter 
impossibility.  Reconnoisances  on  the  llth  and  13th,  made 
it  plain  that  infantry  could  only  move  with  extreme  diffi 
culty,  while  horses  had  to  be  expressly  shod  for  the  slippery 
surface.  A  knowledge  of  this  fact  —  that  was  also  manifest 
to  every  veteran  in  the  ranks,  prompted  General  Thomas' 
refusal  to  comply  with  an  order  from  General  Grant,  in  the 
far-away  city  of  An'napolis,  Maryland,  to  attack  without 
waiting  longer  for  weather  or  reinforcements.  For  this, 
Grant  ordered  his  removal  from  command,  naming  Scho- 
field  as  his  successor.  On  the  13th,  Gen.  John  A.  Logan, 
who  was  at  St.  Louis,  was  also  ordered  to  relieve  Thomas  ; 
and  on  the  15th,  Grant  reached  Washington,  on  his  way  to 
take  command  in  person.  To  the  old  boys  who  had  been 
fighting  and  inarching  under  "Old  Pap"  Thomas  so  long, 
and  who  they  had  learned  to  regard  as  "the  noblest  Roman 
of  them  all,"  these  orders  appeared  spectacular  and  useless. 
The  morning  of  the  14th  was  indeed  a  bleak  one  for 
that  latitude.  Everything  was  covered  with  ice  an  inch 
thick,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  and  walking  was  still 
extremely  difficult  and  dangerous.  The  week  previous  had 
been  well  employed  by  General  Thomas  in  reinforcing  both 
cavalry  and  infantry  ;  and  he  was  also  well  informed  as  to 
the  disposition  of  the  enemy.  By  noon  the  weather  had 
so  moderated  and  the  ice  thawed,  that  the  commander  de 
termined  to  attack  the  next  morning;  and  at  3  P.  M.,  he 
-called  his  corps  commanders  together  to  announce  to  them 


BATTLE    OF    NASHVILLE.  255 

his  plan  of  operation,  and  to  instruct  them  in  the  specific 
part  he  desired  each  should  take.  After  thorough  deliber 
ation,  the  following  special  field  order  was  issued  : 

"  As  soon  as  the  state  of  the  weather  will  admit  of  offensive  opera 
tions,  the  troops  will  move  against  the  enemy's  position  in  the  following 
order : 

Major-General  A.  J.  Smith,  commanding  detachment  of  the  Army 
of  the  Tennessee,  after  forming  his  troops  on  and  near  the  Harding  pike, 
in  front  of  his  present  position,  will  make  a  vigorous  assault  on  the  ene 
my's  left. 

Major-General  Wilson,  commanding  the  cavalry  corps,  Military  Di 
vision  of  Mississippi,  with  three  divisions,  will  move  on  and  support  Gen 
eral  Smith's  right,  assisting  as  far  as  possible  in  carrying  the  left  of  the 
enemy's  position,  and  be  in  readiness  to  throw  his  force  upon  the  enemy 
the  moment  a  favorable  opportunity  occurs.  Major-General  Wilson  will 
also  send  one  division  on  the  Charlotte  pike,  to  clear  that  road  of  the  en- 
-emy,  and  observe  in  the  direction  of  Bell's  landing,  to  protect  our  right 
rear  until  the  enemy's  position  is  fairly  turned,  when  it  will  rejoin  the 
main  force. 

Brigadier-General  T.  J.  \Vood,  commanding  Fourth  Corps,  after 
leaving  a  strong  skirmish  line  in  his  works  from  La  wrens'  Hill  to  his  ex 
treme  right,  will  form  the  remainder  of  the  Fourth  Corps  on  the  Hillsboro 
pike  to  support  General  Smith's  left,  and  operate  on  the  left  and  rear  of 
the  enemy's  advanced  position  on  Montgomery  Hill. 

Major-General  Schofield,  commanding  Twenty-third  Army  Corps, 
will  replace  Brigadier-General  Kimball's  division  of  the  Fourth  Corps 
with  his  troops,  and  occupy  the  trenches  from  Fort  Negley  to  Lawreiis' 
Hill  with  a  strong  skirmish  line.  He  will  move  with  the  remainder  of 
his  force  in  front  of  the  works,  and  co-operate  with  General  Wood,  pro 
tecting  the  latter's  left  flank  against  an  attack  by  the  enemy. 

Major-General  Steedman,  commanding  District  of  Etowah,  will  oc 
cupy  the  interior  line  in  rear  of  his  present  position,  stretching  from  the 
reservoir  on  the  Cumberland  River  to  Fort  Negley,  with  a  strong  skir 
mish  line,  and  mass  the  remainder  of  his  force  in  its  present  position,  to 
act  according  to  the  exigencies  which  may  arise  during  these  operations. 

Brigadier-General  Miller,  with  troops  forming  the  garrison  of  Nash 
ville,  will  occupy  the  interior  line  from  the  battery  on  hill  210,  to  the 
extreme  right,  including  the  inclosed  work  on  the  Hyde's  Ferry  road. 

The  quartermaster's  troops,  under  the  command  of  Brigadier-Gene 
ral  Donaldson,  will,  if  necessary,  be  posted  on  the  interior  line  from  Fort 
Morton  to  the  battery  on  hill  210. 

The  troops  occupying  the  interior  line  will  be  under  the  direetion  of 
Major-General  Steedman,  who  is  charged  with  the  immediate  defence  of 
Nashville  during  the  operations  around  the  city. 

Should  the  weather  permit,  the  troops  will  be  formed  to  commence 


256  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

operations  at  6  A.  M.  on  the  15th,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  practicable.'7 
GeneraJ  Thomas  modified  this  order  by  directing  Gen. 
Steedman  to  make  a  strong  feint  against  the  enemy's  right, 
so  as  to  lead  Hood  to  bring  still  more  of  his  troops  to  that 
wing,  and  to  divert  his  attention  from  the  dominant  move 
ment  against  the  enemy's  left.  It  was  Thomas'  intention 
then  to  mass  the  Union  forces  against  the  enemy's  reduced 
left,  to  overwhelm  it,  break  his  line,  roll  it  back  upon  the 
center,  and  if  possible  crush  both.  This  was  his  plan  for 
the  first  day's  fight ;  on  the  second  he  proposed  to  break 
down  Hood's  right,  and  either  envelope  and  capture  his 
army,  or  shatter  and  rout  it  so  thoroughly  as  to  completely 
destroy  its  organization,  and  send  it  in  ignominious  flight 
beyond  the  Tennessee.  How  nearly  prophetic  his  calcula 
tions  were,  the  history  of  that  campaign  tells. 

The  weather  and  ice,  that  had  prevented  offensive  op 
erations  on  our  part,  also  barred  all  activity  of  the  rebels  ; 
who,  deeming  it  impossible  to  successfully  assault  the  army 
intrenched  before  Nashville,  meditated  a  movement  around 
the  city.  Hood  evidently  had  no  idea  of  General  Thomas' 
intention  ;  and  must  have  been  greatly  astonished  when  he 
beheld  on  that  cheerless  morning  of  the  15th,  the  threat 
ening  attitude  of  the  host  that  confronted  him. 

At  4  A.  M.  on  the  15th,  the  provisional  division  formed 
from  various  organizations  of  Sherman's  army,  commanded 
by  General  Craft,  moved  forward  and  relieved  the  4th  and 
23d  Corps,  and  occupied  their  exterior  line  of  works.  Gen. 
T.  J.  Wood  formed  the  4th  Corps  with  the  2d  Division  on 
the  right,  commanded  by  General  Elliott ;  1st  Division  in 
the  center,  commanded  by  General  Kimball ;  and  the  3d 
Division,  commanded  by  General  Beatty,  on  the  left'.  The 
formation  was  in  double  battle-line  ;  the  first  deployed,  and 
the  second  in  column,  by  division,  opposite  the  intervals  in 
the  first.  The  front  was  covered  with  a  line  of  skirmish 
ers,  and  a  similar  force  remained  in  the  works  in  the  rear. 

As  the  sun  arose,  a  dense  fog  was  formed,   that   hung 


BATTLE    OF    NASHVILLE.  257 

over  the  two  armies  till  nearly  noon,  when  it  lifted,  reveal 
ing  to  the  rebel  commander  the  handwriting  on  the  wall  — 
that  the  time  of  his  defeat  and  humiliation  was  at  hand. 

When  the  combination  to  turn  Hood's  left  was  com 
pleted,  General  Thomas  sent  a  message  to  General  Steed- 
man  to  advance ,  in  semblance  of  actual  assault .  This  was 
done,  and  .the  charge  on  the  enemy's  works  was  gallantly 
made.  Hood  was  so  deceived,  that  he  drew  troops  from 
his  center  and  left  to  strengthen  his  seemingly  endangered 
flank.  Soon  after  this  action,  the  forces  on  the  opposite 
flank  moved  forward  on  the  Harding  and  Hillsboro  roads  ; 
both  movements  being  attended  with  success  almost  phe 
nomenal.  Then  Schofield  and  Smith  advanced  their  lines. 

The  action  of  the  4th  Corps  was,  if  possible,  even  more 
successful.  On  it  depended  the  most  important  results; 
and  true  to  its  record,  it  performed  the  part  assigned  in  a 
manner  that  evoked  the  highest  praise. 

In  the  preparatory  alignment,  the  Fifty-First  advanced 
to  the  summit  of  a  low  rocky  ridge  overlooking  the  Mont 
gomery  farm,  forming  in  echelon,  in  the  edge  of  a  woods 
pasture  that  ran  down  and  across  a  broad  ravine  300  or  400 
yards  in  width.  On  the  crest  of  Montgomery  Hill  stood 
the  residence  of  Widow  Montgomery,  a  substantial  brick. 

As  the  sun  began  to  penetrate  the  fog,  a  beautiful  and 
grand  scene  was  presented  to  us,  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  of  the  forces  moving  out,  the  double  line  of  soldiers 
gradually  dwindling,  till  they  seemed  like  a  thread  of  blue 
yarn,  with  here  and  there  a  patch  of  red,  where  the  colors 
appeared. 

As  we  stood  on  that  point,  awaiting  the  formation 
and  alignment  of  troops  on  our  left,  our  attention  was  at 
tracted  to  the  Montgomery  residence,  from  the  windows  of 
which  some  rebel  sharpshooters  were  exhibiting  a  superior 
marksmanship  by  sending  well-aimed  bullets  among  our 
boys,  a  number  of  whom  received  these  tokens  in  various 
parts  of  their  bodies  Some  of  those  whose  term  of  enlist- 

17 


258  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

ment  had  expired  on  the  14th,  had  a  little  delicacy  about 
exposing  themselves,  and  were  excused.  There  were  many 
exceptions,  however;  some  of  whom  received  wounds  more 
or  less  severe.  The  fun.  of  those  sharpshooters  came  to  be 
very  monotonous  to  us  ;  and  a  gun  from  the  6th  Ohio  Bat 
tery  was  run  up,  an  officer,  Capt.  A.  P.  Baldwin  —  then  a 
lieutenant,  and  since  the  war  a  citizen  of  Akr.on,  Ohio  — 
hastily  sighted  and  pulled  the  lanyard  ;  when  bang !  whiz  ! 
went  a  shell,  crashing  through  the  Montgomery  house,  at 
the  precise  point  where  the  rebel  sharpshooters  had  been 
observed  a  moment  before.  The  shell,  exploding  at  the 
same  instant  it  struck  the  building,  tore  a  hole  several  feet 
in  diameter,  and  effectually  silenced  those  sharpshooters. 
The  writer  met  Captain  Baldwin  at  the  great  G.  A.  R.  Na 
tional  Encampment  in  Washington  City,  in  September, 
1892,  and  without  knowing  who  the  comrade  was,  was  nar 
rating  this  incident ;  when  that  officer  quietly  extended  his 
hand,  while  a  tear  of  proud  recollection  stole  out,  and  he 
said,  "That's  right ;  I  fired  that  gun  !" 

Then  came  the  signal  to  advance  ;  and  wheeling  the 
companies  quickly  into  line,  we  started  off  on  a  quick-step, 
that  very  soon  increased  to  a  run.  Down  the  grassy  slope 
we  sped,  and  up  again  on  the  other  side  of  the  shallow  ra 
vine  ;  the  rebel  bullets  whistling  merrily  about  our  heads. 
The  ascent  was  more  abrupt  and  difficult  in  some  places, 
the  approaches  being  covered  with  abattis  and  sharpened 
stakes  firmly  driven  in  the  ground.  Occasionally  one  of 
our  boys  was  hit ;  and  dropping  down,  he  was  soon  found 
by  the  ambulance  corps,  and  carried  to  the  rear.  Schofield 
having  been  sent  to  the  right,  to  fill  the  interval  between 
Smith  and  Wilson,  as  the  4th  Corps  advanced,  it  swung  to 
the  left,  in  order  that  our  division  might  have  an  easier  as 
cent.  Then  came  the  command  to  "charge  with  a  yell!" 
And  such  a  yell  as  we  gave  !  The  command  was  needless, 
so  far  as  the  Fifty-First  was  concerned  ;  for  we  anticipated 
it.  Captain  Scearce  was  in  command  ;  Captain  Anderson 


BATTLE    OF    NASHVILLE.  259 

being  next  in  order  of  rank  ;  John  Young,  of  Co.  G,  color- 
bearer  ;  Will  Shockley,  of  Co.  C,  with  the  regimental  flag. 
On  and  up  we  rushed  ;  every  fellow  trying  to  gain  the  rebel 
works  first  —  shooting,  loading,  yelling  ;  all  inspired  with  a 
single  thought  —  of  crushing  every  obstacle.  About  half 
way  over,  Captain  Scearce,  impatient  to  plant  our  flag  first 
on  the  enemy's  salient,  dashed  up  to  John  Young,  who  was 
pushing  forward  with  long  and  rapid  strides,  two  or  three 
paces  in  advance  of  the  line,  and  grasping  the  flag-staff, 
the  officer  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  leaving  the  regiment  be 
hind,  but  taking  with  him  the  plucky  color-sergeant,  who 
did  not  propose  to  relinquish  the  colors,  but  was  determined 
to  plant  them  there  himself.  So  violent  was  the  struggle, 
that  the  captain  was  pulled  from  his  horse  ;  and  before  he 
could  remount  and  overtake  him,  "Jug,"  as  he  was  famil 
iarly  called,  had  driven  the  staff  into  the  soft  dirt  on  the 
top  of  the  rebel  works.  But  it  did  not  remain  there  long ; 
for  the  troops  swarming  over  the  fortification  only  a  second 
later,  swept  colors  and  color-bearer  to  the  very  summit ;  and 
the  Fifty-First  Indiana  Veterans  had  taken  Montgomery  Hill! 
while  the  johnnies  fled  in  dire  confusion.  And  the  record 
now  reads,  "Wood  carries  Pos.  A  (Montgomery  Hill,)  at  1 
o'clock." 

As  we  .charged  into  the  yard  of  the  Montgomery  resi 
dence,  two  boys  of  Co.  C,  were  shot  in  the  legs,  by  fleeing 
rebels,  who  immediately  paid  for  it  with  their  lives.  On 
our  occupation  of  the  rebel  works,  we  at  once  moved  to  the 
left  a. short  distance,  and  began  throwing  up  breastworks, 
when  we  were  ordered  to  move  over  in  front  of  the  works, 
a  little  to  the  right.  The  rays  of  the  sun  had  softened  the 
ice  so  that  it  crushed  beneath  our  feet,  rendering  walking 
easier,  and  enabled  the  cavalry  and  batteries  to  move  with 
less  difficulty.  An  increasing  slope  ran  to  the  woods  now 
occupied  by  the  rebels.  Over  this  our  line  moved  in  one 
steady,  imposing  column.  The  crest  of  the  hill  in  front 
partly  sheltered  us  from  the  enemy's  artillery.  A  dense 


260  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

volume  of  smoke  rose  from  the  valley,  shrouding  the  hills 
and  the  rebel  lines  in  our  front,  and  uniting  with  the  heavy 
fog  that  had  not  yet  entirely  left  the  hilltops.  The  roar  of 
rebel  artillery  was  becoming  fainter,  while  the  crash  of  our 
guns  increased  each  hour.  The  4th  Corps  halted  for  a  mo 
ment,  to  enable  Smith  to  connect,  when  suddenly  the  rebels 
could  be  seen  breaking  pell-mell  from  their  works,  cavalry, 
infantry  and  artillery  skurrying  and  sweeping  in  various 
directions.  A  wild  cheer  rang  from  our  lines,  and  the  bat 
teries  redoubled  their  iron  storm .  Soon  a  column  was  seen 
emerging  from  the  woods  on  the  rebel  flank,  and  the  stars 
and  stripes  at  their  head  showed  that  Smith  had  swung 
around  the  force  in  his  front.  Instantly  the  4th  Corps 
jumped  to  their  feet,  and  pressed  forward,  driving  the  reb 
els  steadily.  The  fighting  from  this  time  on  was  all  in  our 
favor.  We  drove  the  enemy  several  miles.  General  Wood 
had  put  the  reserve  of  each  division  on  his  right,  and  then 
engaged  the  enemy  with  the  entire  corps.  Three  batteries 
were  brought  into  play.  Advancing  to  a  fortified  hill  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Granny  White  pike,  and  near  the  cen 
ter  of  Hood's  main  line,  two  batteries  were  placed  so  as  to 
throw  a  converging  fire  upon  the  hill,  which  was  furiously 
bombarded  for  an  hour,  when  General  Kimball  was  ordered 
to  charge  with  his  whole  division.  At  the  same  time  Gen 
eral  Elliott  carried  the  intrenchments  in  his  front,  and  our 
division  crowned  the  hill.  With  loud  cheers  the  4th  Corps 
ascended  and  leaped  over  the  intrenchments,  capturing  a 
large  number  of  prisoners,  several  pieces  of  artillery  and 
several  stands  of  colors.  In  this  general  advance,  our  line 
became  slightly  involved  with  that  of  Smith's,  and  we  were 
directed  to  move  to  the  Franklin  pike,  2-J-  miles  distant,  and 
facing  to  the  south,  to  drive  the  enemy  across  it.  The  order 
was  taken  up ,  and  the  corps  moved  as  directed  ;  but  night 
came  too  soon  for  it  to  reach  its  destination,  and  we  biv 
ouacked  on  the  east  side  of  the  Granny  White  pike,  on  a 
line  parallel  with  the  road. 


BATTLE    OF    NASHVILLE.  261 

At  nightfall  the  Union  lines  were  readjusted,  so  as  to 
run  along  the  Hillsboro  pike,  excepting  the  4th  Corps,  dis 
posed  as  mentioned  above  ;  Schofield  on  the  right,  Smith 
in  the  center,  and  Wood  on  the  left,  with  the  cavalry  on 
the  right  of  Schofield. 

By  these  movements  Hood  was  entirely  crowded  out  of 
his  original  works,  and  compelled  to  take  a  new  position 
along  the  base  of  the  Harpeth  hills.  So  promptly  did  eacli 
part  of  the  Union  army  respond  to  the  action  of  the  rest, 
that  the  rebels  were  continually  deceived  and  kept  dodging 
about,  wondering  what  we  would  do  next. 

The  result  of  that  day's  operations,  was  the  capture  of 
17  pieces  of  artillery,  over  1,200  prisoners,  several  hundred 
stands  of  small  arms  and  40  wagons.  The  Union  casual 
ties  were  unusually  light,  and  insignificant  compared  with 
those  of  the  enemy  ;  also,  the  behavior  of  General  Thomas' 
troops  was  remarkable  for  steadiness  and  alacrity  in  every 
movement . 

During  a  lull  in  hostilities  in  the  afternoon,  the  com 
missary  sergeant  having  to  go  to  Nashville  to  draw  rations, 
the  sergeant-major  was  directed  by  the  commander  of  the 
regiment,  to  bring  up  some  beef  that  had  been  delivered 
just  before  the  advance  was  made,  but  had  no  one  to  issue 
it  to  the  companies.  On  arriving  at  the  place,  he  found 
meat  enough  to  load  ten  men,  but  no  detail  to  carry  it  for 
ward,  nearly  a  mile,  to  where  the  regiment  was.  9  So  he 
pressed  in  half  a  dozen  white  fellows  and  nearly  as  many 
darkies,  who  said  they  had  come  out  to  see  the  fight,  but 
who  were  really  only  a  lot  of  thieves,  in  quest  of  plunder  ; 
ready  to  rob  the  dead  soldiers,  who  had  just  been  paid  off. 
Like  those  fellows  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures,  each  one 
had  a  powerful  reason  for  being  excused,  but  the  sergeant- 
major  was  insensible  to  distress  ;  drawing  his  revolver,  he 
declared  he  would  make  a  ghost  of  each  one  before  he  could 
turn  around,  if  they  didn't  grab  onto  that  meat  and  hump 
toward  the  front  instantly.  With  white  lips  and  trembling 


262  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

knees,  they  laid  hold  of  the  beef,  and  bore  it  to  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  regiment,  that  was  again  in  line  expecting 
a  charge  by  the  rebels.  At  that  moment,  the  rebels,  who 
had  reached  the  summit  of  the  slope  overlooking  the  pike, 
made  a  stand,  and  a  lively  little  skirmish  ensued.  Two  or 
three  crashing  volleys  rent  the  air  ;  when  with  eyes  rolling 
in  an  agony  of  terror,  the  citizens  begged  to  be  permitted 
to  return  to  town.  With  a  significant  word  of  instruction 
to  go  back  to  the  city,  they  were  released  ;  and  dropping  the 
meat  they  split  the  air  like  a  flash  of  greased  lightning,  and 
in  a  second  more  were  out  of  sight.  The  meat  was  distrib 
uted  to  details  from  each  company,  while  the  fight  was  in 
progress,  and  the  overshot  bullets  made  the  work  one  of 
extreme  danger.  It  was  a  hard  fight,  and  a  number  of  the 
Fifty-First  boys  were  wounded  ;  but  they  all  stood  right  up 
to  the  work,  and  fought  like  true  heroes.  Here  it  was  that 
Sergeant  Frank  Brown,  with  seven  men  of  his  company, 
captured  a  rebel  battery  of  four  guns,  and  turned  them  on 
the  enemy. 

It  was  between  9  and  10  o'clock  that  night,  when  the 
Fifty-First,  after  countermarching,  flanking  and  obliquing 
up  and  down  the  Granny  White  pike  enough  to  bewilder 
the  most  accomplished  backwoodsman,  laid  down  in  a  nice 
grassy  meadow.  Spreading  our  dog-tents  on  the  grass,  we 
threw  our  overcoats  or  blankets  over  us,  and  after  a  word 
of  gratitude  to  the  gracious  Father  who  had  protected  us' 
through  the  bloody  experiences  of  the  day,  we  drifted  off  to 
dreamland. 

In  the  morning  of  the  16th  we  felt  refreshed,  and  were 
ready  for  battle  at  an  early  hour.  The  Avhole  army  arose 
with  an  assurance  of  victory.  Congratulations  from  Presi 
dent  Lincoln  and  the  authorities  at  Washington  sped  their 
way  with  lightning  rapidity  to  GeneraJ  Thomas,  and  were 
hastily  communicated  to  his  army  ;  this  added  to  the  inspi 
ration  of  accomplished  victory,  and  the  defeat  of  this  one 
of  thu  two  great  armies  on  which  the  existence  of  the  re- 


BATTLE    OF    NASHVILLE.  263 

hellion  depended,  seemed  a  foregone  certainty.  At  home, 
the  reaction  from  the  uneasiness  that  had  obtained,  to  the 
ecstasy  of  hopefulness,  was  one  of  the  most  marked  revul 
sions  of  opinion  and  feeling  during  the  war. 

During  the  night  Hood  had  drawn  back  his  center  and 
right  to  a  stronger  position,  moved  his  right  wing  over  on 
Overton  Hill,  his  line  extending  along  the  base  of  the  Har- 
peth  or  Brentwood  range,  and  his  artillery  massed  at  such 
points  as  were  most  available  for  effective  use.  He  had 
straightened  his  line  and  shortened  it  nearly  one-half,  and 
his  troops  spent  the  night  in  strengthening  and  extending 
the  fortifications  previously  constructed  by  him.  He  was 
therefore  prepared  to  receive  us  ;  and  we  were  on  hand  ere 
they  had  their  breakfast  dishes  washed. 

Each  corps  of  Thomas'  army  was  prepared  both  for 
attack  and  pursuit,  and  was  ordered  to  move  forward  rap 
idly  at  6  A.  M.,  until  the  enemy  should  be  met.  At  that 
hour  the  4th  Corps  advanced  promptly  as  ordered  toward 
the  Franklin  pike,  about  two  miles,  nearly  due  east,  part 
of  the  way  by  right  of  companies,  but  frequently  forming 
in  line  of  battle.  This  was  very  tiresome,  and  sufficient  of 
itself  to  exhaust  the  troops  ;  who,  however,  affected  even  a 
cheerfulness  that  was  wonderful.  The  weather  was  some 
what  improved  in  temperature,  but  the  thaw  was  succeeded 
by  mud,  that  rendered  walking  extremely  difficult.  The 
enemy's  skirmishers  were  soon  encountered,  and  speedily 
driven  back,  and  we  gained  the  Franklin  pike.  Here  the 
corps  was  deployed  —  Elliott's  division  across  the  pike  and 
facing  south,  Beatty's  on  the  left,  and  Kimball's  in  reserve 
behind  Elliott.  We  then  advanced  rapidly  three-fourths  of 
a  mile,  where  we  met  a  strong  skirmish  line  behind  barri 
cades,  their  main  line  being  plainly  in  view,  half  a  mile 
beyond.  Simultaneously,  General  Smith  on  the  right,  and 
General  Steedmaii  on  the  left,  advanced,  but  found  the  en 
emy  had  fled.  Steedmaii  then  pressed  forward  and  took 
position  on  our  left,  across  the  Franklin  railroad.  Owing 


264  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

to  the  irregularity  of  the  surface,  the  country  being  very 
hilly,  and  covered  with  dense  forests,  most  of  the  cavalry 
was  found  impracticable.  For  the  same  reason,  it  was  hard 
also  to  move  artillery ;  but  the  guns  at  all  points  available 
kept  up  a  measured  fire,  shelling  the  woods. 

The  Brentwood  hills,  rising  350  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  country,  consist  of  two  ranges,  one  running  southeast, 
the  other  southwest,  terminating  on  opposite  sides  of  the 
Brentwood  Pass,  through  which  the  Franklin  pike  runs. 
These  hills  formed  Hood's  background.  Overtoil  Hill,  the 
northernmost  summit  from  which  these  ranges  trend,  com 
manded  the  Franklin  pike,  running  along  their  base,  and 
was  intrenched  around  the  northern  slope,  the  approaches 
being  obstructed  by  abattis  and  felled  trees.  This  made 
the  position  a  very  strong  one  ;  and  as  we  came  into  full 
sight  of  it,  it  became  apparent  that  one  of  the  most  desper 
ate  struggles  awaited  us. 

The  assaulting  column  consisted  of  Post's  brigade  sup 
ported  by  Colonel  Streight's  brigade.  General  Steadman 
also  directed  Col.  Thompson's  brigade  of  colored  troops  to 
co-operate  in  the  assault.  At  3  p.  M.,  the  assaulting  col 
umns  moved  up  the  steep  ascent,  covered  with  a  strong  line 
of  skirmishers,  to  draw  the  enemy's  fire,  and  cause  him  to 
expend  his  limited  ammunition,  as  well  as  to  annoy  his  ar 
tillery.  It  was  very  dangerous  clambering  among  the  long 
lines  of  sharpened  stakes,  which  were  firmly  planted  in  the 
ground;  and  many,  who  were  crowded  against  them,  were 
almost  impaled  on  their  points.  Our  instructions  were  to 
move  steadily  till  near  the  intrenchments  ;  then  dash  right 
up,  leap  the  parapet,  and  sweep  everything  before  us.  An 
obstacle  was  presented,  however,  that  raised  a  doubt  as  to 
the  completeness  of  our  success.  The  rebels  had  four  large 
guns  posted  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  supported  by  six  lines  of 
infantry.  Our  boys  were  exhausted,  and  under  ordinary 
circumstances  would  have  been  glad  to  delay  the  battle  a 
few  hours.  But  they  felt  that  the  end  was  near  ;  and  were 


BATTLE    OF    NASHVILLE.  265 

eager  to  begin  the  fray,  and  have  it  over.  As  we  moved 
up,  the  rebels  on  the  summit  got  such  range  of  us  that  they 
slashed  the  canister  and  solid  shot  into  us  with  a  prodigal 
ity  that  was  appalling.  We  were  compelled  to  lie  down. 

While  in  this  fearfully  exposed  position,  an  incident 
occurred  that  will  haunt  the  writer  as  long  as  life  remains. 
1st  Lieut.  Peter  G.  Tait,  of  the  89th  Illinois,  while  stand 
ing  a  little  in  advance  of  his  regiment,  which  lapped  the 
right  wing  of  the  Fifty-First,  was  struck  by  a  cannon  ball 
near  the  center  of  his  body,  tearing  a  great  hole  in  the  left 
side.  As  he  fell,  he  threw  his  right  arm  around  to  his  side, 
when  his  heart  and  left  lung  dropped  out  into  it.  The  heart 
continued  to  throb  for  twenty  minutes,  its  pulsations  being 
distinctly  seen  by  his  agonized  comrades,  who  stood  there 
and  saw  the  noble  life  fade  out  in  heroic  self-sacrifice.  The 
ball  buried  itself  in  a  log  immediately  in  the  rear  ;  doubt 
less  thereby  saving  the  lives  of  others  who  were  in  direct 
range  of  the  deadly  missile. 

Then  our  artillery  got  in  position ,  and  opened  a  vigor 
ous  fire,  giving  roar  after  roar,  with  quick  repetition,  and 
the  command  was  given  to  forward  the  whole  line.  Col. 
Thompson's  brigade  of  colored  troops  came  up  at  the  same 
instant,  and  a  part  of  their  right  lapped  the  left  of  our  regi 
ment.  We  reached  the  crest  with  comparative  safety  ;  but 
in  another  moment  the  enemy  rose,  and  poured  into  us  a 
fire  of  grape,  canister,  schrapnel  and  musketry,  so  terrific 
and  destructive,  that  we  were  compelled  to  fall  back,  with 
great  loss,  leaving  our  dead  and  wounded,  white  and  black, 
mingled  indiscriminately  in  the  dense  and  almost  impene 
trable  tangle  of  felled  trees.  The  colored  troops  fought  as 
bravely  as  any  here,  and  suffered  equally  with  the  whites. 
There  and  then  was  gallant  Joe  Fleece,  of  Co.  A,  pierced 
through  the  heart  with  a  rebel  bullet.  Another  was  John 
W.  Wells,  of  Co.  C.  He  was  a  brave  and  faithful  soldier. 
There  was  no  better  type  of  the  American  soldier  than  he, 
far  as  patriotic  ardor,  honesty  and  sobriety  required  ; 


266  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

and  he  was  without  a  spark  of  braggadocio.  There,  also,, 
were  stricken  down  in  their  noble  young  manhood,  killed 
instantly,  eight  others  of  our  own  regiment,  besides  86  oth 
ers —  according  to  the  memorandum  made  that  night  by 
Hospital  Steward  Fitch  —  who  received  more  or  less  severe 
wounds,  most  of  whom  died  in  consequence,  within  the 
next  few  weeks  or  months.  Lieut.  John  Welton,  of  Co.  Er 
was  shot  so  badly  in  one  of  his  legs,  that  it  had  to  be  am 
putated  there.  Capt.  M.  T.  Anderson  was  shot  in  the  side, 
the  ball  passing  clear  around  his  back,  lodging  in  the  hip 
opposite,  whence  it  was  extracted.  He  fell  from  his  horse 
waving  his  sword  and  cheering  the  boys  on.  Lieut.  Geo. 
W.  Scearce  was  wounded  in  the  thigh,  at  the  head  of  his 
company  ;  and  many  others,  whose  records  ought  to  be  in 
this  category,  but  w^hich  it  has  been  impossible  to  obtain, 
received  wounds  while  performing  deeds  of  valor  equal  to 
any  that  have  been  mentioned.  Captain  Anderson  was 
granted  a  medal  by  the  War  Department,  for  conspicuous 
gallantry  in  this  fight,  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  Con 
gress  approved  March  3,  1863.  Co.  G  lost  Joseph  Brown, 
a  noble  young  man.  He  was  shot  through  the  head,  when 
within  twenty  feet  of  the  rebel  works.  Sergeant  Holman 
and  another  comrade  went  to  him,  but  he  was  unconscious. 
They  carried  him  back  and  placed  him  in  an  ambulance  ; 
and  that  was  the  last  they  ever  saw  of  him. 

The  following  names  of  killed  and  mortally  wounded, 
in  that  bloody  charge,  are  all  that  can  be  obtained  from  the 
Adjutant  General's  report:  Joseph  Fleece,  Ephraim  Tull, 
Co.  A;  John  Musson,  G.  E.  Tiffany,  J.  S.  Hurst,  Harry 
Troup,  Co.  B  ;  John  W.  Wells,  Samuel  Patterson,  Co.  C  ; 
Alva  E.  Sowers,  Wm.  Smith,  Ira  G.  Thorn,  Timothy  Whit- 
more,  Co.  E  ;  George  Walker,  Co.  F  ;  John  L.  Keith,  Wm. 
W.  Bruce,  Perry  Rollings  worth,  Bernard  Hollingsworth, 
Daniel  T.  Myers,  Co.  H  ;  David  Welty,  Co.  I ;  David  A. 
Harvey,  David  S.  Strain,  Adam  Wolf,  Co.  K. 

How  we   got  there  —  or  stayed   there  —  or  got  away  at 


BATTLE    OF    NASHVILLE.  267 

all,  alive,  no  one  will  ever  tell.  Showers  of  lead  —  whole 
sheets  of  blue  liquid  lead  —  seemed  to  pour  over  those  rebel 
earthworks.  But  we  got  back.  0,  yes  ;  we  had  to.  Some 
of  us  ran  backward  most  of  the  way,  because  we  didn't  like 
the  idea  of  being  found  with  a  hole  in  our  back.  In  this 
way  the  writer  discovered  a  badly  wounded  comrade  of  Co. 
H  under  the  lee  of  a  large  stone  chimney,  where  a  hut  had 
stood,  and  to  which  he  had  managed  to  crawl  for  safety. 
Calling  another  comrade,  they  made  a  chair  of  their  hands, 
carried  the  wounded  boy  back,  and  placed  him  in  an  am 
bulance. 

Captain  Scearce,  commanding  the  regiment,  had  his 
horse  shot  under  him.  In  falling,  the  captain's  foot  was 
caught  under  the  horse  ;  from  which  he  soon  extricated 
himself,  and  hobbled  back. 

Sergeant-Major  Hartpence  sustained  a  slight  wound 
on  his  head  ;  a  rebel  bullet  having  pierced  his  hat,  cutting 
a  gash  in  the  scalp,  and  passing  out  through  the  hat-band. 
It  was  a  close  call,  for  which  he  was  properly  grateful.  He 
prizes  that  little  scar  more  than  any  other  token  it  is  possi 
ble  for  him  to  obtain. 

Many  incidents  of  individual  bravery  might  be  men 
tioned.  It  is  said  that  Fred.  Tellsmaii,  of  Co.  H,  did  not 
stop  till  lie  had  scaled  the  8-foot  parapet ;  where  he  was 
confronted  by  a  rebel  lieutenant,  who  in  a  very  obscene 
and  profane  manner  demanded  his  surrender.  Fred,  only 
replied  less  politely,  consigning  him  to  a  locality  hotter,  if 
possible,  than  where  he  was,  and  facilitating  his  departure 
thereto  by  emptying  his  rifle  in  the  johnny's  bread-basket. 
Then  jumping  to  our  side  again,  he  came  off  in  safety. 

The  8th  Kansas  went  up  alongside  of  our  regiment ; 
and  never  did  a  little  band  of  heroes  fight  more  valiantly. 
Surgeon  Nathaniel  Clark  distinguished  himself  by  charg 
ing  into  the  midst  of  the  fray  with  his  medicine-case,  and 
by  his  heroic  attention  to  his  men,  quite  a  number  of  whom 
were  wounded. 


"268  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

The  original  order  of  this  assault  was,  as  has  been  re 
peated,  for  the  Fifty-First  to  advance  to  easy  supporting 
distance  ;  but  by  some  error  in  giving  or  repeating  it,  the 
order  was  changed  to  a  charge,  which  was  made  with  knap 
sacks  on  ;  rendering  it  that  much  more  distressing.  The 
great  wonder  is  that  it  was  not  much  more  disastrous  ;  and 
it  seems  like  a  rare  providence  that  the  error  was  made  ;  for 
had  we  remained  at  the  point  to  which  we  were  ordered  at 
first,  we  would  have  received  the  entire  contents  of  that 
rebel  battery.  As  it  was,  we  got  down  into  the  ravine,  or 
depression,  under  the  battery  just  in  time  to  feel  the  wind 
produced  by  the  crash  of  schrapiiel  and  grape  two  or  three 
feet  above  our  heads. 

Furious  as  was  the  repulse,  we  fell  back*  in  splendid 
order,  about  300  yards,  to  the  northern  edge  of  a  field,  bor 
dered  by  a  forest.  Here  Captain  Scearce  ordered  the  regi 
ment  to  reform,  and  calling  the  sergeant-major  to  him,  di 
rected  him  to  go  to  the  left  and  call  the  members  of  each 
company  to  their  places  in  the  line,  while  he  performed  a 
like  service  upon  the  right.  The  facility  and  promptness 
with  which  every  requirement  was  obeyed,  was  the  more 
remarkable  for  the  fact  that  the  companies  were  mainly  of 
ficered  by  sergeants  ;  in  fact,  it  was  said  of  the  boys  of  the 
Fifty-First,  that  they  didn't  need  commanders  —  they  com 
manded  themselves.  In  three  minutes  the  regiment  had 
reformed,  and  the  command  was  given  to  "unsling"  knap 
sacks  and  * ' forward  !  —  charge  ! ' '  We  didn't  need  anything 
more.  Away  we  went,  more  determined  than  before  ;  more 
impetuous,  and  more  eager  to  decide  the  issue.  Although 
received  with  a  heavy  fire,  the  onset  was  irresistible.  One 
crash  followed  another,  as  we  swept  through  the  network  of 
felled  trees  and  over  the  parapet,  routing  the  six  lines  of 
rebel  infantry  supporting  the  battery,  clubbed  the  gunners 
off  of  their  pieces,  captured  the  guns  and  turned  them  on 
the  flying  johnnies,  and  took  half  of  the  entire  command 
in  front  of  us  prisoners.  At  the  same  moment,  the  troops 


HOOD'S    RETREAT.  2691 

on  both  of  our  flanks  swung  around  the  brow  of  the  hill, 
and  joined  with  us  in  deafening  shouts  of  victory.  The 
defeat  of  the  rebels  at  this  point  was  the  most  complete  of 
all  they  had  sustained,  because  it  destroyed  even  the  very 
organization  by  which  they  might  have  hoped  to  retrieve 
their  fortune.  That  part  of  their  army  was  forever  gone  — 
was  a  thing  of  the  past ;  and  it  was  a  common  sight  to  see 
a  dozen  or  more  johnnies — officers  and  privates  —  totally 
demoralized,  going  to  our  rear,  in  charge  of  a  sinlge  guard. 

The  charge  then  became  general,  and  the  enemy  was 
hurled  from  every  position,  in  utter  rout  and  demoraliza 
tion,  hopelessly  shattered  ;  and  in  wildest  confusion  they 
fled  along  the  Franklin  pike  and  through  Brentwood  Pass, 
closely  followed  by  the  4th  Corps  for  several  miles  ;  the  fre 
quent  discharges  of  our  artillery  increasing  the  confusion  of 
their  most  disorderly  retreat.  All  along  the  line  of  retreat 
small  arms  and  accouterments  were  strewn  thickly  ;  while 
110  effort  whatever  was  made  to  carry  off  the  wounded  or 
dispose  of  the  dead,  who  were  tenderly  cared  for  by  our 
men.  They  stood  not  on  the  order  of  their  going,  but  went. 

The  4th  Corps  bivouacked  that  night  a  mile  from  the 
village  of  Brentwood  ;  while  Knipe's  and  Hatch's  divisions 
of  Wilson's  cavalry  corps  moved  rapidly  down  the  Granny 
White  pike,  to  reach  Franklin  if  possible  in  advance  of  the 
rebel  army.  They  came  upon  the  rebel  cavalry  about  a 
mile  further  on,  posted  across  the  road  and  behind  barri 
cades.  They  charged  upon  the  rebels,  scattering  them  in 
every  direction,  and  capturing  a  large  number  of  prisoners. 

Surgeons  Collins  and  King  and  Steward  Fitch  made  a 
sad  and  weird  picture,  that  night,  as  with  lanterns  in  their 
hands,  they  searched  among  the  trees  and  bushes  for  the 
brave  boys  of  the  Fifty-First  who  had  fallen  on  that  day  ; 
binding  up  an  arm  here,  giving  a  draught  of  water  there, 
and  wiping  the  death-damp  from  the  brow  of  an  expiring 
hero,  whose  life  had  been  preserved  through  so  many  dan 
gers,  to  go  out  on  this  last  field  of  battle. 


"270  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

When  James  Ferris,  Co.  H,  opened  his  knapsaek  next 
day,  he  found  in  it  two  ounce  balls,  that  were  evidently 
shot  there  by  rebels  when  we  fell  back  after  our  first  attack 
on  the  parapet  on  Overton  Hill.  The  balls  had  both  gone 
through  eleven  thicknesses  of  oil-cloth  poncho,  doubled  up 
between  the  folds  of  his  knapsack,  besides  all  the  clothing 
in  one  side. 

The  drafted  men  exceeded  our  most  ardent  expecta 
tion.  They  went  right  in,  after  the  first  scare  was  over; 
and  when  the  old  flag  waved  in  triumph  over  the  enemy's 
works,  they  raised  the  yell  as  proudly  as  any  veteran.  One 
fellow  was  so  well  tickled  and  so  enthusiastic  over  his  part 
of  the  accomplishment,  that  he  said  he  felt  like  he  could 
"lick  a  ten-acre  field  of  wild-cats,  or  eat  up  a  regiment  of 
greasy  johnnies,  greybacks  and  all !" 

The  action  of  this  day  announced  the  overthrow  of  the 
rebellion  in  the  West.  The  rebel  army  on  whose  existence 
and  activity  that  section  of  the  rebellion  depended,  was  in 
disorganized  and  demoralized  flight. 

The  authorities  at  Washington  were  momentarily  ap 
prised  of  our  action,  by  a  system  of  signals  and  telegraph. 
General  Grant,  on  his  way  to  take  personal  command,  got 
no  farther  than  Washington,  and  Logan  stopped  at  Louis 
ville  .  The  President  and  the  Secretary  of  War  rained  con 
gratulations  on  General  Thomas  and  his  army.  The  fol 
lowing  message,  sent  before  the  issue  of  the  second  day  was 
known,  was  also  received  in  the  afternoon,  and  communi 
cated  to  the  troops  that  evening  : 

"  WASHINGTON,  Dec.  16—11 : 20  A.  M. 
MA.T.  GEN.  THOMAS  : 

Please  accept  for  yourself,  officers  and  men  the  Nation's 
thanks  for  your  work  of  yesterday.  You  made  a  magnificent  beginning. 
A  grand  consummation  is  within  your  easy  reach.  Do  not  let  it  slip. 

A.  LINCOLN. 

General  Thomas  replied  to  this  the  same  night,  in  an 
able  commuication,  recounting  the  accomplishments  of  the 
16th  by  his  army,  in  which  he  said  : 


HOOD'S    RETREAT.  271 

u  Brigadier-General  Wood's  corps,  on  the  Franklin  pike, 
took  up  the  assault,  carried  the  enemy's  intrenehments  in  his  front,  cap 
tured  eight  (8)  pieces,  and  something  over  600  prisoners." 

That  something  remarkable  had  been  done,  was  recog 
nized  by  the  civilized  world.  Indeed,  historians  have  told 
the  story  of  this  two  days'  fight  with  expressions  of  won 
der  and  astonishment.  But  the  rest  of  the  world  has  been 
at  an  equal  loss  to  understand  how  two  millions  of  men  (or 
boys,)  from  every  department  of  civilized  life  —  the  farmer 
from  his  plow,  the  mechanic  from  his  bench  or  forge,  the 
merchant  from  dallying  over  calicoes  and  ribbons ,  or  sugar 
and  coffee,  the  printer  from  his  composing-stick,  or  the 
book-keeper  from  his  desk,  could  be  thrown  together,  skill 
fully  drilled  and  disciplined  in  the  short  space  of  two  or 
three  years,  so  as  to  become  the  admiration  of  the  most 
accomplished  and  celebrated  militarists  of  the  world.  God 
was  in  it  all,  and  the  truths  of  His  Word,  that  had  in  all 
the  generations  of  their  immediate  ancestry  been  liberally 
sown  in  the  hearts  of  His  freemen,  fitted  them  in  advance 
for  the  grand  work  of  purging  our  Nation  of  the  sin  of  the 
South  —  and  incidentally  of  confirming  in  the  minds  of  the 
haughty  chivalry  of  that  section  for  all  time,  the  superior 
ity  of  the  free  Northerner  over  the  native  Southerner,  in 
everything  that  goes  to  constitute  true  American  manhood. 

We  resumed  the  pursuit  early  next  morning,  17th,  and 
met  with  comparatively  little  resistance.  Disorder  contin 
ued  to  mark  every  foot  of  the  route.  At  Hollow  Tree  Gap, 
four  miles  north  of  Franklin,  the  cavalry  overtook  the  reb 
els'  rear-guard,  and  carried  their  position,  capturing  413 
prisoners.  The  enemy  continued  their  flight  to  Franklin, 
where  they  attempted  to  defend  the  crossings  of  Harpeth 
River,  but  were  again  defeated  and  driven  from  the  town, 
leaving  their  hospitals,  containing  over  2,000  wounded,  of 
whom  200  were  Union  men,  taken  at  the  battle  of  Franklin. 
Five  miles  below  Franklin  the  rebels  were  so  pressed  by 
our  cavalry,  that  they  made  another  stand  ;  but  only  to  fly 


272  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

with  greater  rapidity  when  Wilson's  cavalry  charged  upon 
them.  At  this  point  they  abandoned  nearly  all  of  their 
remaining  artillery.  The  few  cannons  they  retained,  were 
afterward  thrown  into  the  Tennessee  River,  whence  they 
were  recovered. 

The  4th  Corps  reached  Franklin  a  little  after  noon  ;  but 
the  river,  which  was  easily  forded  by  the  cavalry,  had  risen 
so  rapidly  that  we  were  delayed  some  time  to  extemporize 
a  bridge.  Steedman  followed  us,  and  the  other  two  corps 
were  in  the  rear.  Trains  followed,  with  rations  for  10  days, 
and  100  rounds  of  ammunition  to  each  man . 

As  we  passed  Franklin,  our  hearts  were  sickened  at 
sight  of  the  long  lines  of  graves  and  other  evidences  of  the 
work  that  was  done  there  on  our  recent  visit.  Great  trees 
and  brush,  that  we  had  converted  into  abattis  to  protect  us 
from  the  furious  charges  of  the  enemy,  were  fairly  whittled 
and  splintered  like  kindling.  At  one  place,  where  the  reb 
els  had  made  three  successive  charges,  and  as  often  met  a 
withering  repulse,  the  earth  was  plowed  up  as  though  a 
mammoth  harrow  had  been  dragged  over  it.  On  every 
hand  were  clusters  of  new  graves,  where  each  regiment  had 
buried  its  dead.  Hundreds  of  horses,  great  heaps  of  equi 
page  and  arms  were  lying  all  around  in  lavish  profusion. 
The  earth ,  as  far  as  we  could  see ,  was  literally  covered  with 
remnants  of  that  doomed  army.  That  was  an  awful  day, 
and  a  still  more  awful  night  which  followed.  As  with  the 
historic  Senacherib, 

"  Like  the  leaves  of  the  forest,  when  summer  is  jrreen, 
Tli at  host  with  their  banners  at  morning  was  seen; 
Like  the  leaves  of  the  forest,  when  autumn  hath  blown, 
That  host  in  the  evening  lay  withered  and  strovvn." 

Sunday  morning,  December  18,  '64,  was  cloudy  and 
gloomy  enough,  but  our  boys  felt  light  and  happy  ;  for  we 
had  been  blest  with  victory  from  the  first.  We  were  with 
out  tents  ;  and  many  letters  home  had  to  be  written  under 
the  shelter  of  an  overcoat.  The  roads  had  become  exceed- 


HOOD'S    RETREAT.  273 

ingly  bad,  from  the  late  heavy  rains  and  their  use  by  the 
rebels,  and  pursuit  was  greatly  retarded  in  consequence. 
The  4th  Corps  joined  Wilson's  cavalry  at  night,  at  Ruth 
erford's  Creek. 

On  the  morning  of  the  19th  we  attempted  to  cross  the 
creek,  whose  deep  swift  current  formed  a  better  rear-guard 
for  the  enemy  than  his  cavalry  ;  and  several  efforts  were 
made  through  the  day;  but  all  were  fruitless.  The  rain 
continued,  also,  causing  great  distress  among  the  boys, 
who  were  almost  destitute  of  protection.  Next  morning 
Hatch 's  men  constructed  a  float  from  the  debris  of  the  rail 
road  bridge,  and  advanced  rapidly  to  Columbia  ;  to  find 
that  the  rebels  had  lifted  their  pontoon  bridge.  The  4th 
Corps  also  crossed  during  the  day  by  various  expedients , 
and  camped  that  night  near  Columbia.  The  weather  now 
changed  from  excessive  rain  to  extreme  cold  ;  and  this  re 
tarded  the  throwing  of  pontoons.  We  had  a  little  skiff  of 
snow  011  Friday,  23d /and  had  a  hard  time  crossing  Duck 
River  that  afternoon.  Forrest  had  left  a  small  force  to  dis 
pute  our  crossing.  Our  regiment  was  in  advance  that  day, 
and  it  devolved  on  us  to  settle  the  matter.  We  deployed 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  without  a  shadow  of  protection  ; 
while  the  johnnies  stationed  among  the  rocks  on  the  bluff 
opposite,  where  they  had  constructed  a  sort  of  honey-comb 
defense,  fired  down  at  us  from  the  apertures.  It  was  one 
of  the  severest  tests  our  boys  ever  experienced.  We  had 
the  material  of  two  " skeleton-boats,"  consisting  of  light 
framework  and  heavy  canvas.  The  canvas  was  spread  out 
on  the  shore,  and  the  framework  fitted  together  on  it,  by 
a  system  of  mortises  and  hooks  ;  then  the  canvas  was  gath 
ered  up  at  the  sides  and  ends  and  secured  by  ropes  tied  in 
eyelets  and  drawn  tightly  to  the  frame.  This  made  a  boat 
capable  of  conveying  twenty  men  across  an  ordinary  body 
of  water.  But  the  exposure  required  to  launch  these  two 
boats  was  awful.  Robert  A.  Condiff,  of  Co.  A,  was  killed, 
and  ten  others  were  wounded.  The  passage  of  the  boats, 

18 


274  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

too,  was  attended  with  extreme  danger;  as  the  water  was 
15  to  25  feet  deep,  and  the  rebels  on  the  bluff  could  shoot 
right  down  through  our  boats,  and  sink  us. 

Corporal  Charles  Salter,  who  was  in  the  front  line,  re 
ceived  a  shot  that  cut  a  gash  in  his  scalp,  parting  the  hair 
a  little  to  one  side  of  the  center,  making  a  lovely  cowlick. 
He  was  crazy  for  a  few  hours  ;  but  got  all  right  again  in  a 
few  days. 

The  sergeant-major  had  another  narrow  escape  here. 
While  carrying  orders  to  the  skirmishers,  he  was  selected 
by  several  johnnies,  whose  leaden  compliments  brushed  his 
hat-rim  on  either  side,  and  chipped  the  bark  of  a  little  tree 
a  few  steps  in  his  rear.  He  made  no  response,  save  to 
softly  murmur  a  line  of  "Willie,  we  have  missed  you,"  at 
that  time  a  popular  song. 

Captain  Hamilton  was  in  command  of  the  skirmishers, 
consisting  of  ten  men  from  each  company,  and  took  charge 
of  the  first  boat ;  the  sergeant-majof  having  the  honor  of 
commanding  the  second.  Fortunately  for  us,  the  6th  Ohio 
Battery  forwarded  a  gun,  that  in  a  moment  was  raising 
merry  sheol  among  the  rocks,  driving  the  rebels  out ;  thus 
enabling  us  to  cross  in  safety .  The  whole  command  then 
crossed,  clambering  with  great  difficulty  up  the  almost  per 
pendicular  bank,  and  went  into  camp  near  by. 

The  skirmishers  pushed  ahead  through  the  town  after 
Hood's  rear-guard.  In  this  movement,  Corporal  Will  Jor 
dan,  with  5  of  Co.  A's  detail,  overtook  18  rebels,  who  were 
conducting  2  Union  prisoners  to  their  train.  Jordan  was 
in  advance  ;  and  yelling  out  to  an  imaginary  force  behind, 
made  a  rush,  captured  the  entire  rebel  guard,  who  readily 
surrendered.  The  skirmishers  also  surrounded  the  hospi 
tal,  capturing  all  the  attendants. 

The  pontoon  train  came  up  later,  and  the  entire  army 
crossed  that  night  and  next  day. 

We  met  with  a  very  cordial  reception  by  the  citizens 
of  Columbia,  and  while  the  remainder  of  the  command  was 


"AFTER  THE  BALL."  275 

crossing  the  river,  a  number  of  us  were  invited  to  partake 
of  their  hospitality.  And  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the 
most  respectable  portion  of  the  population  entertained  us 
in  a  very  agreeable  manner,  till  an  order  to  "carry  up  the 
line"  compelled  us  to  go.  The  young  ladies  of  the  town 
also  made  an  arrangement  for  a  social  party  that  evening  ; 
but  the  Fifty-First  was  drawn  into  the  court-house  square, 
and  strict  orders  given  to  stay  there.  The  writer  was  sent 
out  on  three  roads,  to  relieve  the  pickets,  on  two  of  which 
our  men  had  been  thrown  out  a  mile  and  a-half,  and  the 
other  nearly  a  mile.  When  he  returned,  got  his  own  sup 
per  and  made  down  his  bed  on  the  court-house  floor,  he 
was  ready  to  sleep,  although  the.place  reeked  with  the  foul 
stench  of  blood  from  those  who  had  lain  there  before,  and 
swarmed  with  graybacks. 


December  24,  we  continued  our  pursuit  of  Hood  ;  our 
immediate  command  taking  the  road  running  due  south, 
and  leading  through  Lynnville  and  Pulaski.  We  camped 
that  night  just  below  Lynnville,  and  had  a  hard  inarch  all 
the  next  day  ;  passing  through  Pulaski,  to  5  miles  beyond. 
The  cavalry  had  a  brisk  engagement  in  the  evening.  We 
remained  in  the  same  camp  all  the  next  day.  At  this  time 
the  pursuit  was  abandoned,  as  it  had  been  ascertained  that 
Hood's  infantry  forces  had  effected  the  passage  of  the  Ten 
nessee  River  at  Bainbridge,  a  few  miles  east  of  Florence. 
On  the  27th,  we  marched  twelve  miles  in  a  southwesterly 
course,  over  an  almost  impassable  road  ;  and  the  next  day 
we  proceeded  twelve  miles  farther,  to  the  village  of  Lexing 
ton,  Alabama >  only  a  few  miles  from  the  Tennessee  River. 
We  were  interrupted  by  nothing  save  heavy  rains,  which 
made  marching  and  bivouacking  very  unpleasant.  On  the 
road  we  moved  very  slowly,  but  that  did  not  prevent  our 
foragers  from  getting  over  a  great  deal  of  contiguous  terri 
tory,  that  abounded  with  all  the  luxuries  of  the  season  ;  so 


276  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

that  we  were  kept  supplied  with  fresh  cured  shoulders  and 
hams,  turkeys,  chickens,  honey,  molasses,  dried  apples  and 
peaches,  corn  meal,  etc.,  which  we  relished  greatly  after  a 
long  abstinence  from  anything  but  the  roughest  kind  of 
food . 

The  results  of  this  victory  over  Hood  cannot  be  estima 
ted  in  figures,  nor  scarcely  in  any  other  way.  The  Union 
army  captured  13,189  prisoners  of  war,  including  7  gener 
als,  16  colonels,  nearly  1,000  officers  of  lower  grades,  80 
serviceable  pieces  of  artillery,  70  stands  of  colors,  (battle- 
flags,)  many  thousands  of  small  arms,  and  untold  quanti 
ties  of  wagons,  pontoons  and-  other  material.  Besides  all 
this,  2,207  deserters  from*the  rebel  army  came  in  and  took 
the  oath  of  allegiance.  The  number  of  rebels  killed  and 
wounded  cannot  possibly  be  ascertained  with  any  degree  of 
exactness  ;  but  from  the  best  data  to  be  obtained,  exceeded 
18,000.  If  to  all  of  these  are  added  the  desertions  not  re 
ported,  more  than  half  of  Hood's  army  failed  to  recross  the 
Tennessee  River.  General  Thomas  reported  his  own  loss 
in  killed,  wounded  and  missing,  as  not  exceeding  10,000,  a 
large  portion  of  this  aggregate  being  slightly  wounded. 

Hood's  Report  of  the  Battle  of  Nashville. 

"I  therefore  determined  to  move  on  Nashville, 

to  entrench,  to  await  his  attack,   and  if  favored  by  success,  to 

follow  him  into  his  works. 

[If  Thomas  had  followed  Grant's  direction,  doubtless 
he  would  have  furnished  the  opportunity.] 

I  ordered  the  army  to  move  forward  on  the  1st  of  December; 
Lee's  corps  in  advance,  followed  by  Stewart's  and  Cheatham's,  and 
the  troops  bivouacked  that  night  in  the  vicinity  of  Brentwood.  On  the 
morning  of  the  2d  the  march  was  resumed,  and  line  of  battle  formed  in 
.front  of  Nashville.  Lee's  corps  was  in  the  center  and,  across  the  Frank 
lin  pike;  Stewart  occupied  the  left,  and  Cheatham  the  right;  *  For 
rest's  cavalry  filled  the  gaps  to  the  river.  *  Stewart  and  Cheatham 
were  directed  to  construct  detached  works  *  to  protect  their  flanks 
against  an  effort  to  turn  them.  The  works  were  not  completed  when,  on 
the  15th,  the  Federal  army  moved  out  and  attacked  both  flanks,  whilst 
the  main  assault  was  directed  against  our  left.  *  Finding  that  the 
main  movement  of  the  Federals  was  directed  against  our  left,  * 


277 

Cheatham's  corps  was  withdrawn  from  the  right,  and  posted  on  the  left 
of  Stewart.  In  this  position  the  men  were  ordered  to  construct 

breastworks  during  that  same  night.  The  morning  of  the  16th  found  us 
with  Lee's  right  on  Overtoil  Hill.  At  an  early  hour  the  enemy  made  a 
general  attack  along  our  front ;  about  3  p.  M.  the  Federals  con 

centrated  a  number  of  guns  against  a  portion  of  our  line,  which  passed 
over  a  mound  on  the  left  of  our  center,  and  which  had  been  occupied  du 
ring  the  night.  This  point  was  favorable  for  massing  troops.  The 
enemy  availed  himself  of  the  advantage,  massed  a  body  of  men— appa 
rently  one  division^-  at  the  base  of  this  mound,  and  made  a 
sudden  and  gallant  charge  up  to  and  over  our  intrenchments.  Our  line, 
thus  pierced,  gave  way;  soon  it  broke  at  all  points;  and  I  beheld  for  the 
first  and  only  time  a  Confederate  army  abandon  the  field  in  confusion. 
I  was  seated  on  my  horse  not  far  in  rear  when  the  breach  was 
effected,  and  soon  discovered  that  all  hope  to  rally  the  troops  was  vain." 
[It  must  have  seemed  like  a  "division"  to  Hood,  when 
the  Fifty-First  with  the  8th  Kansas  and  14th  Colored  came 
swarming  over  that  parapet,  and  made  such  havoc  among 
Lee's  men.  Those  regiments  never  failed  to  impress  their 
audience  whenever  they  had  a  chance.  Wood's  4th  Corps 
whipped  Stewart's  corps  on  the  loth,  and  Lee's  corps  on 
the  16th,  and  made  its  usual  splendid  record.  Hood  was 
certainly  a  chump  of  the  most  pronounced  character,  how 
ever,  or  he  could  not  have  added,  as  he  did,  the  following  :] 

"Just  previous  to  this  fatal  occurrence,  I  had  matured  the  movement 
for  the  nc-xt  morning.  The  enemy's  right  flank,  by  this  hour,  stood  in 
air  some  six  miles  from  Nashville,  and  I  had  determined  to  withdraw 
my  entire  force  during  the  night,  and  attack  this  exposed  flank  in  rear. 
I  could  safely  have  done  so,  as  I  still  had  open  a  line  of  retreat.  A 

number  of  guns  in  the  main  line  were  abandoned,  for  the  reason  that  the 
horses  could  not  be  brought  forward  in  time  to  remove  them.  The  total 
number  of  guns  captured  amounted  to  54. 

It  will  be  of  interest  to  note  how  deeply  concerned  Gen.  Grant  be 
came  for  fear  we  should  finally  reach  Kentucky.  He  ordered  Gen. 
Thomas  to  attack  on  the  6th  of  December,  and  evidently  became  much 
worried  about  our  presence  in  front  of  Nashville." 

[But  he  finally  came  to  comprehend  the  situation,  and 
closed  his  report  in  as  few  words  as  possible.] 

"  After  the  fight  at  Nashville  I  at  first  hoped  to  he  able  to  remain  in 
Tennessee,  on  the  line  of  Duck  River,  but  after  arriving  at  Columbia,  I 
became  convinced  that  the  condition  of  the  army  made  it  necessary  to 
reeross  the  Tennessee  without  delay,  and  on  the  21st  the  army  resumed 
its  march  for  Pulaski,  leaving  Maj.  Gen.  Walthall  with  Ector's,  Strahl's, 


278  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Maney's,  Granberry's  and  Palmer's  infantry  brigades  at  Columbia,  as  a 
rear-guard  under  Gen.  Forrest.  *  *  *  * 

[Here  again  the  Fifty-First  Indiana  " Division"  drove 
the  heroes  who  couldn't  fight  without  some  kind  of  breast 
works  to  rest  their  guns  on.] 

From  Pulaski  I  moved  by  the  most  direct  road  to  the  Cambridge 
crossing  on  the  Tennessee  river,  which  was  reached  on  the  25th,  where 
the  army  crossed  without  interruption." 

In  another  place  he  explains  the  sudden  disappearance 
of  his  army,  by  the  statement  that  thousands  were  fur- 
loughed  for  a  short  period;  which  simply  meant  for  good, 
so  far  as  Hood  was  concerned  ;  for  on  Jan.  13,  '65,  he  sent 
the  following  to  the  rebel  "Secretary  of  War  :" 

"  I  request  to  by  relieve-!  from  the  command  of  this  army. 

J.  B.  HOOD,  General." 

The  wonder  is,  what  army  ;  as  Thomas  had  relieved 
him  of  his  own.  Following  this,  he  says  : 

"9,000  out  of  14,000  who  left  Tupelo  to  repair  to  Johnson's 
standard  in  North  Carolina,  deserted,  and  either  went  to  the  woods  or  to 
their  homes." 

When  the  pursuit  ended,  General  Thomas  ordered  his 
forces  into  winter  quarters  ;  but  immediately  Grant  tele 
graphed  his  disapproval  of  this  disposition,  and  Thomas 
at  once  issued  orders  to  Generals  Schofield,  Smith  and  Wil 
son  to  concentrate  at  Eastport,  Miss.,  and  Wood  to  hold 
his  corps  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  in  readiness  for  a  renewal  of 
the  campaign. 

SOME    REFLECTIONS. 

We  read  in  books,  of  the  genius  of  mighty  warriors, 
whose  names  have  been  heralded  throughout  the  world, 
coupled  with  an  exaggerated  account  of  their  achievements. 
If  you  could  have  slipped  unobserved  among  the  companies 
of  quiet  soldiers,  in  any  of  those  veteran  regiments,  whose 
eyes  gleamed  with  a  brightness  and  significant  earnestness 
that  told  of  the  ardent,  eager  heart  glowing  underneath  the 
blouse,  and  if  you  could  have  reclined  with  them  on  those 
rugged  hillsides  during  the  lull  in  hostilities,  and  heard 
the  simple  expressions  of  those  hardy  patriots,  who  drew 


SOME    REFLECTIONS.  279 

inspiration  from  their  rusty  bacon  and  mouldy  hard-tack, 
and  criticised  the  movements  of  the  armies  in  undertones, 
lest  their  words  might  seem  to  be  mutinous,  or  might  affect 
the  fidelity  of  a  weak  comrade  ;  or,  if  you  could  have  gath 
ered  from  the  humble  privates  the  results  of  their  intui 
tions —  the  things  they  had  learned  by  the  long  years  of 
experience,  the  flankings  and  the  feints,  the  tricks  and  the 
schemes  by  which  they  had  been  defeated,  and  by  which 
they  had  overcome  the  foe  ;  you  might  be  able  to  appreciate 
the  fact,  that  there  was  oftener  wisdom  and  judgment  in 
the  ranks  than  on  horseback.  There  is  no  doubt  that  very 
many  battles  that  were  lost  by  those  who  were  called  brave 
and  efficient  commanders,  might  have  been  saved  by  men 
who  carried  only  muskets.  The  history  of  the  war  of  the 
rebellion  furnishes  abundant  evidence  in  proof  of  this. 

Instinctively  the  veterans  of  General  Thomas'  army 
recognized  his  superior  leadership,  and  from  the  first  their 
hearts  beat  in  lively  sympathy  with  his.  They  believed  in 
his  capability,  his  loyalty  to  the  great  cause  for  which  they 
had  sacrificed  everything  dear  to  them  on  earth  ;  and  to 
question  his  integrity,  either  by  accusation  or  innuendo, 
was  bound  to  subject  the  offender  to  their  dislike,  if  not  to 
their  odium  ;  which  even  time  rarely  extinguished.  In  the 
beginning  of  this  campaign,  General  Thomas  had  been  un 
justly  censured  and  criticised  by  certain  authorities  at  the 
national  headquarters  ;  even  an  order  was  issued,  transfer- 
ing  the  command  from  him  to  Schofield,  and  indirectly  to 
Logan.  Providentially,  as  it  proved,  he  was  not  relieved  ; 
but  his  soldiers  felt  the  humiliation,  and  in  ten  thousand 
forms  of  expression,  have  never  ceased  to  denounce  those 
who  were  responsible  for  it.  On  December  21,  Thomas 
wrote  a  letter  to  Halleck,  who  wTas  then  toasting  his  shins 
in  comfortable  quarters  in  Washington  City,  while  Thomas 
and  his  army  were  enduring  the  rigors  of  one  of  the  severest 
winters  ever  known  in  that  locality.  It  is  in  reply  to  one 
from  Halleck,  urging  him  to  "make  every  possible  sacrifice 


280  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

to  accomplish  the  great  result,"  and  urging  "a  most  vigor 
ous  pursuit ; ' '  and  is  very  interesting  reading  : 

"  IN  THE  FIELD,  December  21,  18(>4. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HALLECK,  Washington,  D.  C.: 

Your  dispatch  of  12  M.  this  day  is  received.  General 
Hood's  army  is  being  pursued  as  rapidly  and  as  vigorously  as  it  is  possible 
for  one  army  to  pursue  another.  We  can  not  control  the  elements,  and 
you  must  remember  that,  to  resist  Hood's  advance  into  Tennessee,  I  had 
to  reorganize  and  almost  thoroughly  equip  the  force  now  under  my  com 
mand.  I  fought  the  battles  of  the  15th  and  16th  insts.  with  the  troops 
but  partially  equipped,  and  notwithstanding  the  inclemency  of  the  weath 
er  and  the  partial  equipment,  have  been  enabled  to  drive  the  enemy 
beyond  Duck  River,  crossing  two  streams  with  my  troops,  and  driving 
the  enemy  from  position  to  position,  without  the  aid  of  pontoons,  and 
with  but  little  transportation  to  bring  up  supplies  of  provisions  and  am 
munition,  I  am  doing  all  in  my  power  to  crush  Hood's  army,  and,  it' it 
be  possible,  will  destroy  it.  But  pursuing  an  enemy  through  an  exhausted 
country,  over  mud  roads  completely  sogged  with  heavy  rains,  is  no  child's 
play,  and  can  not  be  accomplished  as  quickly  as  thought  of.  I  hope,  in 
urging  me  to  push  the  enemy,  the  department  remembers  that  General 
Sherman  took  with  him  the  complete  organization  of  the  Military  Divi 
sion  of  the  Mississippi,  well  equipped  in  every  respect,  as  regards  ammu 
nition,  supplies  and  transportation,  leaving  me  only  two  corps,  partially 
stripped  of  their  transportation,  to  accommodate  the  force  taken  with 
him,  to  oppose  the  advance  into  Tennessee  of  that  army  which  had  re 
sisted  the  advance  of  the  army  of  die  Military  Division  of  the  Mississippi 
on  Atlanta,  from  the  commencement  of  the  campaign  till  its  close,  and 
which  is  now  in  addition  aided  by  Forrest's  cavalry.  Although  my  pro 
gress  may  appear  slow,  I  feel  assured  that  Hood's  army  can  be  driven 
from  Tennessee,  and  eventually  driven  to  the  wall  by  the  force  under  my 
command.  But  too  much  must  not  be  expected  of  troops  which  have  to 
be  reorganized,  especially  when  they  have  the  task  of  destroying  a  force, 
in  a  winter's  campaign,  which  was  able  to  make  an  obstinate  resistance 
to  twice  its  numbers  in  spring  and  summer.  In  conclusion,  I  can  safely 
state  that  the  army  is  willing  to  submit  to  any  sacrifice  to  oust  Hood's 
army,  or  to  strike  any  other  blow  which  may  contribute  to  the  destruc 
tion  of  the  rebellion.  (Signed,)  GEO,  H.  THOMAS, 

Major-General." 

"Old  Pap"  Thomas  had  fulfilled  the  highest  possible 
expectations  of  his  loyal  followers.  Letters  of  congratula 
tion  and  cheer  poured  in  on  us  from  all  over  the  North. 
The  terrible  fear  of  disaster  by  our  friends,  and  which  the 
copperheads  hoped  and  prayed  for,  was  removed  ;  and  we 


GENERAL  G.  H.  THOMAS, 


TRIBUTE    TO    GENERAL    THOMAS.  281 

were  very  proud  of  the  campaign.  •  Any  army  might  well 
be  proud  of  it ;  and  when,  on  the  30th,  General  Thomas  an 
nounced  its  conclusion,  he  paid  his  valorous  command  the 
highest  compliment,  and  congratulated  us  on  our  eminent 
success.  This  chapter  would  scarcely  be  complete  without 
the  glowing  tribute  offered  to  the  memory  of  our  beloved 
commander  by  Major  J  .  A.  Ostrander,  at  the*G.  A.  R.  Na 
tional  Encampment  at  Indianapolis,  September  4,  1893  : 

"  The  country  is  proud  of  the  great  names  and  great  deeds  of  Grant 
and  Sherman  and  Sheridan.  So  am  1.  But  there  is  one  other  immortal 
name  that  has  been  written  on  the  marble  of  a  tomb  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  whose  lightest  mention  will  swell  the  hearts  and  straighten  the 
bowed  backs  of  tbe  old  Cumberland  Army.  Though  the  years  of  his  life 
were  told  to  a  generation  that  has  passed,  new  times  and  new  men  clasp 
glad  hands  with  the  lingering  veterans  to  keep  the  Philip  Sidney  of  our 
troubled  days  a  living,  loving  memory. 

You  remember  him,  men  of  the  Cumberland.  Nay,  you  can  never 
forget.  You  saw  him  that  wild  day  at  Stone  River,  when  our  right  had 
been  crushed  and  driven  in,  and  the  flushed  victors,  following  the  stars 
of  the  Southern  cross  swept  down  like  a  resistless  Alpine  flood  to  engulf 
the  doomed  center,  and  a  day  of  disaster  and  the  year  were  passing  to 
gether.  You  remember  how  that  human  tide  of  victory  wavered,  paused, 
rolled  back,  because —  'the  hand  of  the  master  compelled  it  to  pause.' 

Thomas  was  there ! 

You  saw  him  in  the  cold  chill  of  that  terrible  September  evening  at 
Chicamauga  — where  the  army  that  had  faced  fearful  odds,   since  the 
morning  sunlight  of  yesterday,  was  broken  and  drifting  back  to  Chatta 
nooga,  a  hopeless,   helpless  rout  —  gather  around  him   the  fragments  of 
the  wreck,  and  firm  as  the  eternal  hills  on  which  he  leaned,  roll  back  the 
billows  of  war  that  beat  against  him  until  the  sun  went  down. 
'  Mid  the  gusts  of  wild  fire,  when  the  iron-clad  rain, 
Did  ripen  brown  earth  to  the  reddest  of  stain, 
In  that  moment  supreme,  to  their  bridles  in  blood, 
Like  a  rock  in  the  wilderness  grandly  he  stood, 
Till  the  red  sea  was  cleft, — 

Thomas  was  there  ! ' 

You  remember  that  glorious  day  at  Mission  Ridge,  when  with  armies 
for  audiences,  the  thunderbolt  of  the  Cumberland  gored  the  tempest  of 
war,  rolled  in  desolation  up  the  fire-crowned  bights,  burned  through  the 
lines  of  gray  veterans,  and  sent  them  reeling  in  defeat  across  the  Chica 
mauga,  while  seonstf  victory,  moving  the  rock-ribbed  hills,  told  in  glad 
ness  the  story  that  the  leaguer  was  raised  and  the  red  field  was  won. 

Thomas  was  there ! 

You  remember  Nashville.     That  fragment  of  an  army  facing  a  foe. 


282  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

that  all  the  legions  of  the  mighty  West  had  battled  for  a  hundred  days — 
the  hurried  gathering  of  numbers  from  detachments,  hospitals  and  con 
valescent  camps —  the  impatience  in  high  places,  that  the  great  soldier 
was  slow;  forgetful  that  never  man  was  surer, —  sturdy  resistance  to  the 
clamor  that  would  hazard  victory;  and  then,  when  all  the  toils  were  laid 
and  time  was  full,  a  great  rebel  army  swept  from  existence,  as  though 
earth  had  opened  and  swallowed  it  up. 

Thomas  was%there ! 

On  the  banks  of  Stone  River,  by  the  waters  of  Chicamauga,  where 
the  Tennessee  rolls  northward  from  the  land  of  sun  ;  by  the  rock-bound 
Cumberland,  in  bleak  December  days;  from  Mill  Springs  to  Nashville ; 
wherever  Cumberland  men  fought  and  rebel  armies  went  down,  Thomas 
was  there;*  and  where  he  was,  perched  victory. 

Where  others  were  falling,  he  stood  faithful  among  the  faithless. 

When  sacred  pledges  were  'false  as  dicers'  oaths,'  his  plighted  word 
meant  what  it  said  ;  and  the  first  flash  of  his  naked  blade  was  in  deadly 
menace  to  the  recreants  who  had  betrayed  their  country  for  a  price;  told 
in  blasted  honors,  that  stand  pilloried  of  time. 

Build  monuments  to  him,  Virginia  of  the  new  South  !     He  was  your 
greatest  son  !    Honor  his  memory,  grateful  Americans;  he  was  easily  the 
peer  <-f  any  !     What  Wellington  was  in  tenacity,  what  Frederick  was  in 
courage,  what  Washington  was  in  purity  of  purpose  —  that  Thomas  was 
in  all.     Great  in  stature,  great  in  heart,  great  in  loyalty,  grand  in  deeds. 
'And  when  his  statue  is  placed  on  high, 
Under  the  dome  of  the  Union  sky, 
Write  only  this,  for  time  to  read, 
'The  Rock  of  Chieamauga.' 

A  soldier  of  the  antique  type.  He  spoke  little  of  his  honor  ;  but  kept 
it  stainless  as  the  snow.  Mankind  is  better,  nobler,  that  he  lived." 


ADDENDA. 

The  official  report  states  that  it  was  Mrs.  Acklen's  residence,  instead 
of  Widow  Montgomery's,  that  confronted  us  on  Montgomery  Hill,  [see 
page  257]  ;  also,  cannons  -were  thrown  into  Duck  River,  while  the  rebels 
were  crossing,  instead  of  Tennessee  River  [see  page  272]. 

The  Fifty-First  was  assigned  to  the  1st  Brigade,  Nov.  17,  '64,  and  by 
reason  of  seniority,  Colonel  Streight  assumed  command.  The  brigade 
then  consisted  of  the  following  regiments: 

89th  Illinois,  Lt.-Col.  Wm.  D.  Williams. 
51st  Indiana,  Capt.  Wm.  W.  Scearce. 
8th  Kansas,  Lt.-Col.  John  Conover. 
15th  Ohio,  Col.  Frank  Askew. 

Lt.-Col.  John  McClenahan. 
49th  Ohio,  Maj.  Luther  M.  Strong. 
Capt.  Daniel  Hartsougli. 


IN    ALABAMA    AND    TENNESSEE.  283 


IN  ALABAMA  AND  TENNESSEE. 

Saturday,  December  31,  1864,  found  us  still  in  camp  at 
the  village  of  Lexington,  Alabama,  with  orders  to  move  to 
Huntsville.     We  marched  18  miles  that  day,  in  an  easterly 
direction,  over  very  rough  country,  and  camped  within  4 
miles  of  Elk  River.     Thus  closed  the  year  '64;  and  when 
the  new  year  came  in,  we  moved  on  to  Elk   River,   where 
we  celebrated  the  holiday  by  building  a  pontoon  bridge,  on 
which  to  cross  that  stream.     We  were  then  10  miles  north 
west  of  Athens,  and  were  subsisting  largely  off  of  the  fat  of 
the  land  —  which  was  pretty  fat  at  that  time.     Our  head 
quarters  mess  will  never  forget  our  New  Year's  dinner.    Its 
chief  component  was  the  largest  shoulder  of  pork  any  of  us 
had  ever  seen,  and  looked  like  it  had   been  taken  from  a 
young  elephant.     Another  feature  of   the   banquet  was  an 
immense  camp-kettle  of  mush.     The  pork   was  sliced   and 
fried  in  its  fat.     Placing  a  slice  on  each  tin-plate,  the  cook 
piled  on  as  much  mush  as  would  stay  on,  dabbed  a  hole  in 
the  top,  and  filled  the  cavity  with  gravy.     The  way  we  ab 
sorbed  the  natural  products  of  that  section,  must  have  cre 
ated  in  the  minds  of  the   natives   grave  apprehension  of  a 
famine.     "Are  you-uns-all  gwine  t'  ruin  we-uns-all?"  they 
asked  ;  and  we  assured  them  that  we  had  come  to  save  them! 
Then  we  went  on  saving  the  fine  sweet  potatoes,  dried  fruit, 
pork,  honey,  etc.,  which  these  hypocritical  people  had  been 
industriously  cultivating  and   preserving  to  feed   the  rebel 
army  with.     We  had  little  else  to  do,  save  to  write  letters 
and  wash  and  mend  our  clothes  ;  but  were  in  constant  fear 
of  being  disturbed  in  our  enjoyment. 


284  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

From  this  time  till  about  the  first  of  August,  we  were 
included  in  the  1st  Brigade,  3d  Division,  4th  Army  Corps, 
Department  of  the  Cumberland. 

Our  respite  was  of  short  duration,  and  ended  on  the  3d 
without  a  moment's  warning.  All  over  camp,  those  who 
were  not  on  regular  detail,  were  reposing  quietly,  or  were 
engaged  in  the  usual  games  or  household  duties.  Captain 
Scearce,  Adjutant  Harris  and  the  writer  were  occupying  a 
rail  shebang,  over  which  a  fly  was  thrown  ;  arid  the  first  two 
worthies  were  down  on  a  bed  of  corn-blades  —  their  feet  ele 
vated  on  sacks  of  corn  —  telling  old-time  yarns,  and  having 
a  roaring  time.  The  sergeant-major  was  writing  a  letter 
home.  Just  then  "Mother"  Richeson,  who  was  the  cap 
tain's  hostler,  made  his  appearance  with  a  deck  of  cards, 
followed  by  two  other  fellows.  Instantly  the  officers  and 
their  visitors  squared  themselves  for  a  game  of  euchre .  At 
brigade  headquarters  a  fine  band  was  discoursing  beautiful 
music.  Before  the  letter  was  finished  or  the  game  ended, 
the  call  was  sounded,  to  "fall  in"  and  cross  the  river.  The 
flapjacks  and  taffy  and  parched  corn  were  dumped  uncere 
moniously  into  haversacks,  the  curtailed  letter  was  slipped 
into  the  office  desk,  the  cards  wrere  hastily  bunched  and 
crammed  into  "Mother's"  blouse,  and  a  general  rush  was 
made  to  get  into  line .  We  passed  through  Athens  the  same 
night,  and  bivouacked  three  miles  east  of  there  ;  our  mail 
being  delivered  to  us  on  our  arrival  at  that  point.  Here 
we  received  the  following  announcement  of  the  casualties 
in  the  two  days'  fight  at  Nashville,  Dec.  15-16,  '64  : 

Aggregate. 

.  20 
108 
40 
27 
54 

Total.  37  191  244 


Losses. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Off. 

Enl'd. 

Off. 

EnlM. 

89th  Illinois. 

1 

3 

2 

14 

51st  Indiana. 

15 

3 

85 

8th  Kansas 

8 

2 

30 

15th  Ohio. 

2 

1 

1 

23 

49th  Ohio. 

10 

5 

39 

* 
AT    HUNTSVILLE,  ALABAMA.  285 


Reaching  Huntsville  next  day,  we  proceeded  to  Silver 
Lake,  a  beautiful  body  of  water,  a  few  miles  south  of  there, 
that  spread  its  bright  bosom  out  among  the  grand  forest 
trees,  over  which  a  premature  spring  was  beginning  to  scat 
ter  its  verdure.  We  found  here  several  ''dug-out"  boats, 
in  which  the  boys  often  sported  on  the  shining  water.  Our 
camp  was  known  as  "Camp  Green."  We  built  comforta 
ble  shanties  out  of  poles,  over  which  our  "dog-tents"  were 
drawn  for  roofs.  Some  of  these  had  single-pane  windows, 
and  many  had  doors  with  leather  hinges.  Chimneys  were 
constructed  by  crossing  the  ends  of  sticks,  and  plastering 
the  stack  with  mud.  Tables  and  stools  and  bunks  were 
made  by  driving  forks  into  the  ground,  Our  kitchen  uten 
sils  comprised  every  variety,  which  the  boys  picked  up  on 
the  way.  By  a  system  of  borrowing,  these  were  made  to  do 
a  wonderful  amount  of  service.  Wash-bowls  were  hewed 
out  of  logs,  like  sugar-troughs.  As  soon  as  it  was  ascer 
tained  that  we  would  probably  remain  there  some  time,  a 
commodious  log  church  was  erected,  in  which  we  held  some 
glorious  services.  The  lake  was  full  of  geese  and  ducks 
when  we  went  there,  and  for  a  time  thousands  of  birds  in 
the  trees  enlivened  us  with  their  music.  But  our  pleasure 
was  not  characterized  with  much  hilarity.  While  we  were 
marching  and  fighting,  the  excitement  of  the  campaign 
gave  us  little  time  for  sentiment ;  but  with  rest  came  reflec 
tion,  and  with  that  a  sense  of  our  loss  of  many  comrades. 
According  to  the  regimental  report,  at  Pulaski,  before  the 
retreat,  we  numbered  815  ;  now  we  numbered  469.  Where 
were  they? 

January  8,  '65,  General  Wood  wrote  to  General  Whip- 
pie,  chief  of  General  Thomas'  staff,  recommending  Colonel 
Streight's  promotion  to  be  brigadier-general,  "for  the  skill 
ful  manner  in  which  he  managed  his  brigade  in  the  battle 
of  Nashville,  for  his  personal  gallantry  in  the  battle,  and 


1286  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

for  his  uniform  good  and  soldierly  conduct."  Like  many 
another  worthy  plan,  its  operation  was  delayed  too  long, 
and  the  answer  came  too  late . 

"BATTLE  OF  GREEN  LAKE." 

It  is  strange,  upon  what  slight  provocation  men  may 
fall  out  with  each  other.  Political  parties  split  on  tariff  or 
protection  or  free  silver  ;  churches  ostracise  each  other  on 
account  of  some  article  of  faith  ;  medicine  lias  its  "code/' 
and  the  veriest  ninny  who  has  been  rushed  through  a  "reg 
ular"  institution,  would  see  his  patient  expire  in  agony,  ere 
he  would  disgrace  his  holy  "code"  by  consultation  with  an 

"eclectic." 

u  Mountains  interposed, 
Make  enemies  of  nations,  who  had  else, 
Like  kindred  drops,  been  mingled  into  one." 

Soldiers  from  the  same  State,  but  in  different  regiments, 
frequently  agreed  ;  but  those  from  different  States,  while 
bound  together  by  the  common  bond  of  patriotism  and  loy 
alty,  often  found  cause  for  dispute.  They  stood  on  "rank," 
too  ;  it  was  the  standard  by  which  almost  everything  was 
determined.  The  Fifty-First  was  regarded  by  part  of  the 
others  as  the  pet  of  the  commander  ;  and  naturally  enough 
those  soldiers  were  full  of  envy.  This  finally  led  to  a  rup 
ture.  Some  of  the  boys  of  the  89th  Illinois,  that  laid  on 
our  immediate  left,  got  into  an  altercation  with  some  Co. 
B  boys  one  day,  over  a  trifling  matter ;  and  kept  it  up  till 
long  after  "taps."  Finally,  one  of  the  old  veterans  swore 
that  he  always  ranked  "troopees,"  meaning  raw  recruits. 
This  was  an  insult  that  no  veteran  could  make  any  allow 
ance  for.  Like  an  emetic,  one  thing  brought  up  another; 
and  in  a  few  minutes  a  hundred  brave  soldiers  of  those  two 
grand  old  regiments  were  out  in  line,  shivering  in  their 
night-clothes,  but  with  their  guns  in  their  hands,  ready  to 
settle  the  matter  right  there  and  then.  They  were  quieted 
down,  however,  without  bloodshed  ;  and  in  time  came  to  be 
the  best  of  friends.  But  that  chilly  night  of  January  31, 


A    FRUITLESS    EXPEDITION.  287 

'65,  is  remembered  by  most  of  our  comrades,  as  the  date  of 
the  "Battle  of  Silver  Lake." 

A    FRUITLESS    EXPEDITION. 

Wednesday  morning,  February  1,  at  8  o'clock,  our  reg 
iment  and  the  41st  Ohio  —  of  Post's  brigade,  broke  camp, 
and  started  ostensibly  for  Eastport,  Miss.,  to  guard  a  train 
consisting  of  two  batteries  and  about  250  wagons  and  am 
bulances.  There  were  also  with  us  four  companies  of  the 
35th  Indiana,  having  charge  of  a  pontoon  train,  that  was 
to  accompany  us  as  far  as  Elk  River.  The  whole  was  com 
manded  by  Lt.-Col.  Robert  L.  Kimberly,  of  the  41st  Ohio. 
We  marched  15  miles  that  day,  and  went  into  camp  in  the 
midst  of  a  heavy  fog.  We  reached  Athens,  16  miles  fur 
ther  on,  the  next  evening,  and  011  the  3d,  made  15  miles  ; 
reaching  Buck  Island  Ford,  on  Elk  River,  about  4  p.  M. 
Finding  the  river  shallow  enough  to  ford,  the  pontoons 
were  sent  back  ;  and  early  Saturday  morning,  the  4th,  we 
crossed  in  wagons,  and  moved  out  12  miles,  to  Blue  Water 
Creek,  a  small  stream,  near  the  Tennessee  State  line.  The 
road  was  very  soft,  and  frequently  the  wagons  sank  to  the 
hubs.  Several  mules  mired,  and  had  to  be  dragged  out  by 
hitching  others  to  them.  It  also  snowed  while  we  were  at 
this  point.  What  was  our  surprise,  on  the  morning  of  the 
5th,  to  receive  orders  to  retrace  our  steps.  That  evening 
we  recrossed  Elk  River,  and  camped  about  a  mile  from  the 
stream,  at  the  residence  of  a  very  outspoken  and  offensive 
rebel  named  Strauss. 

As  foraging  was  at  that  time  exceptionally  good,  strict 
orders  were  deemed  necessary  to  prevent  straggling.  On 
the  evening  in  question,  after  we  had  crossed  in  wagons, 
the  writer  was  ordered  to  remain  at  the  ford,  and  take  the 
names  of  all  stragglers.  Seventeen  of  the  Fifty-First  and 
8  or  10  of  the  41st  Ohio  came  to  the  river  some  time  after 
the  last  wagon  had  crossed  ;  and,  of  course,  were  compelled 
to  wade.  The  water  was  about  waist  deep,  almost  freezing 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

cold,  and  the  bed  of  the  stream  quite  rough  and  slippery. 
Two  of  them  fell  down  in  the  deepest  part.  The  writer  had 
built  a  fire  for  his  own  comfort ;  and  when  he  beheld  the 
plight  of  his  comrades,  he  heaped  on  more  fuel,  and  made 
a  royal  bonfire,  and  received  his  guests  warmly.  Then  he 
took  the  name  of  each  transgressor,  while  they  dressed. 
Of  these ,  2  sergeants  and  4  privates  of  the  Fifty-First  stood 
guard  that  night ;  as  many  more  the  next  night ;  and  so  on, 
till  all  had  paid  the  penalty.  The  names  were  soon  forgot 
ten  by  the  writer,  so  far  as  that  transaction  was  concerned  ; 
but  in  1883,  in  conversation  with  Sergeant  Wm.  Roberts, 
of  Co.  H,  away  down  in  Indiana,  he  recalled  his  hospitable 
reception  on  the  bank  of  Elk  River,  where  he  thawed  him 
self  out,  while  his  name  was  recorded  for  extra  duty. 

We  proceeded  next  morning  toward  Athens,  in  snow, 
that  turned  to  cold  rain  before  night.  Arriving  at  Athens 
about  sundown,  we  occupied  our  former  camp  at  that  place. 
On  Tuesday  morning,  7th,  we  started  early  in  3  inches  of 
snow,  and  marched  12  miles.  As  we  halted,  opposite  the 
residence  of  a  man  named  Cartright,  preparatory  to  going 
into  camp,  the  writer  became  so  cold,  that  he  obtained  per 
mission  to  go  into  the  house,  to  keep  from  freezing.  There 
he  met  a  bevy  of  bright,  interesting  and  neatly  clad  little 
girls,  whose  intelligence  astonished  him.  One  blue-eyed 
miss  of  4  or  5  years,  in  a  stainless  check  apron,  began  to 
entertain  her  guest  by  spelling  great  words,  at  her  father's 
dictation.  He  had  been  afflicted  for  two  years  with  heart 
disease  and  partial  paralysis,  and  his  wife  had  been  dead  a 
number  of  years.  To  an  inquiry  as  to  how  he  managed, 
he  replied  by  casting  his  eyes  toward  a  window,  in  the  seat 
of  which  shrank  a  beautiful  girl  of  16  years.  "There  is 
our  school  teacher,"  he  said.  He  had  taught  her  ;  and  she, 
in  turn,  was  educating  her  sisters  and  brothers.  In  a  brief 
conversation  with  her,  she  proved  to  possess  a  rare  mind 
and  sweet,  winning  disposition.  The  guest  was  rapidly 
losing  himself  under  the  irresistible  influence  of  this  noble 


WAITING    FOR    SOMETHING    TO    TURN    UP.'  289 

young  creature,  when  in  came  Doc.  King  and  a  lot  of  other 
headquarters  savages,  and  dispelled  the  beautiful  dream; 
their  spurs  and  traps  clanging  and  clattering  like  a  troop 
of  cavalry,  which  so  confused  and  scared  the  little  darling, 
that  she  disappeared  like  a  suddenly  obscured  sunbeam, 
and  was  seen  110  more. 

The  rest  of  our  journey  was  monotonous  and  unimpor 
tant.  Next  morning  we  started  quite  early,  and  marched 
to  Athens  in  the  snow.  We  arrived  there  at  sundown,  in 
a  cold  rain,  and  went  into  camp  in  our  former  quarters. 
On  Tuesday,  7th,  we  got  an  early  start,  and  made  12  miles 
in  three  inches  of  SIIOWT.  On  the  8th  we  had  but  13  miles 
further  to  go  ;  but  the  bad  roads' made  it  hard  on  the  teams, 
and  a  fresh  fall  of  snow  made  our  progress  quite  difficult 
and  disagreeable.  We  entered  our  old  camping  ground  at 
Silver  Lake  about  nightfall,  and  found  our  fine  bunks  all 
gone,  and  our  shanties  in  ruins.  We  had  a  hard  time  re 
constructing  our  domiciles  ;  but  our  troubles  were  soon  lost 
and  forgotten  in  the  opening  of  an  8-days'  mail. 

February  13,  '65,  Colonel  Streight  was  in  Indianapolis. 
Nothing  of  importance  occurred  ;  the  usual  camp  duties  oc 
cupying  all  our  time.  The  diary  of  Will  Wicker,  of  Co.  F, 
mentions,  however,  the  startling  fact  that  on  that  same  day 
he  and  Pete  Camper  caught  a  coon  while  on  picket.  The 
weather  moderated  immediately  after,  and  Ave  had  consid 
erable  rain  during  the  rest  of  that  month . 

On  the  evening  of  February  20,  we  received  news  of 
the  capture  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  by  General  Sherman  ;  and 
the  boys  made  the  night  hideous  with  their  vociferous  yells 
and  bursting  of  blank  cartridges.  The  brigade  band  came 
out  and  played  "Hail,  Columbia !"  We  all  got  out  on  the 
parade  ground,  and  listened  to  an  excellent  speech  by  one 
of  the  chaplains  ;  which  he  closed  by  proposing  three  cheers 
"for  old  Bill  Sherman  and  his  noble  army  \"  which  was 
responded  to  by  a  miniature  earthquake  ;  and  the  entire 

brigade  went  wild  that  night. 
19 


290  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Wednesday,  March  1,  a  very  sad  accident  occurred  in 
the  8th  Kansas,  which  aroused  our  sympathy  almost  as  if 
it  had  happened  in  our  own  regiment.  Some  one  in  felling 
a  large  tree,  let  it  drop  on  the  quarters,  killing  1  and  badly 
injuring  3  others. 

On  the  same  day,  Win.  Armstrong,  of  Co.  F,  a  recruit 
of  '62,  was  discharged,  by  reason  of  expiration  of  service, 
and  started  for  home. 

Wednesday,  March  8,  we  received  the  first  copy  of  the 
Huntsville  Union,  whose  name  indicates  the  political  senti 
ment  of  the  paper.  Up  to  this  time,  the  newspapers  in  the 
South  had  been  so  thoroughly  subsidized  or  terrorized,  that 
nothing  but  the  most  virulent  disloyalty  and  political  malig 
nity,  sectional  hatred,  ostracism  and  abuse  of  loyal  Union 
citizens,  ever  appeared  in  their  columns  ;  while  their  read 
ers  were  kept  in  constant  ignorance  of  the  real  status  of 
their  mushroom  confederacy,  until  they  were  startled  as  by 
a  thunderclap  from  a  clear  sky,  to  find  their  Utopia  but  the 
mirage  of  diseased  minds,  already  being  forever  dissipated. 
It  was  therefore  refreshing,  to  receive  damp  from  the  press 
the  news  from  almost  every  part  of  the  world,  unburdened 
of  the  disgusting  pretense  of  lordlings  whose  chief  boast  lay 
in  the  number  and  variety  of  their  own  half-brothers  and 
half-sisters  the  law  and  usage  of  that  section  entitled  them 
to.  It  was  a  bold  venture  in  journalism;  for,  as  soon  as 
the  Union  army  wras  gone,  the  Union  paper  would  go  into 
rapid  dissolution,  and  its  projector  would  find  little  peace 
or  comfort  in  that  locality. 

The  weather  continued  cloudy  arid  cold,  with  an  occa 
sional  clear  day.  On  such  days  we  had  brigade  or  company 
drill.  Several  officers  were  absent;  some  on  leave,  and  a 
few  whose  time  had  expired,  were  mustered  out.  On  the 
12th,  word  was  received  that  Colonel  Straight  had  resigned. 
Captain  Hamilton,  being  the  senior  or  ranking  officer,  was 
in  command  of  the  regiment.  There  were  lively  times  at 
headquarters  then.  Adjutant  Harris  made  the  complement 


GOOD-BY    TO    ALABAMA.  291 

of  a  team  that  would  be  hard  to  beat.  Hamilton  once  de 
clared  that  Al.  Harris  was  the  most  generous  fellow  he  ever 
knew —  iie  would  give  away  anything  in  the  world  that  he 
had.  He  said,  "He  gave  me  the  itch  at  Huntsville,  and  I 
liked  to  have  never  got  over  it.  I  almost  scratched  my 
limbs  off!" 

Monday,  13th,  we  witnessed  the  spectacle  of  a  soldier 
of  the  41st  Ohio  being  paraded  before  the  brigade,  with  a 
placard  on  his  back  bearing  the  legend  "Mutiny."  The 
precise  nature  of  his  offence  was  not  published  ;  but  he  had 
concluded  the  war  was  about  over,  and  undertook  to  loosen 
the  bandage,  that  he  fancied  was  a  little  tighter  than  neces 
sary  for  his  comfort.  We  had  more  of  such  trouble  before 
the  year  was  gone . 

GOOD-BY    TO    ALABAMA. 

We  remained  at  Silver  Lake  until  Wednesday,  March 
15,  when  we  received  marching  orders.  By  this  time  that 
lovely  pond  had  succumbed  to  the  inevitable,  and  every 
thing  within  sight  or  sound  had  become  only  distressing 
features  of  a  howling  wilderness.  We  longed  for  fresh  pas 
tures  ;  so  we  welcomed  the  order  to  "get  ready  to  march." 
Rations  were  issued  that  afternoon,  and  we  marched  to  the 
railroad  depot  in  Huntsville,  where  we  got  aboard  a  train 
about  sunset.  The  next  morning  we  awoke  at  Stevenson, 
where  we  spent  the  summer  of  '62,  and  where  we  learned 
the  difference  between  "pegged"  and  "sewed"  pies.  Here 
we  debarked,  washed  up  and  made  coffee.  At  Bridgeport 
we  waved  a  long  and  lasting  adieu  to  Alabama,  as  we  sped 
across  the  river,  and  soon  after  entered  the  Tennessee  bor 
der.  We  experienced  a  real  scare  in  crossing  the  Falling 
Water,  a  small  stream  with  very  high  banks,  near  White- 
side's,  over  which  a  very  rickety  bridge  had  been  thrown. 
It  consisted  of  long  saplings  spiked  together  ;  and  as  our 
train  came  upon  it,  it  swayed  from  one  side  to  the  other,  as 
though  it  would  scarcely  require  the  weight  of  another  man 


292  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

to  breakdown  the  entire  structure.  One  car  jumped  the 
track,  and  bumped  over  several  ties  ;  but  we  were  running 
very  slowly,  and  were  easily  stopped.  Had  the  car  gone 
off,  it  must  certainly  have  pulled  the  train  with  it,  and  we 
would  all  have  been  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  rocks  150  feet 
below.  Then  we  proceeded,  without  further  incident,  to 
Chattanooga,  where  we  arrived  about  noon,  and  laid  until 
2  P.  M.,  when  we  resumed  our  journey  toward  the  east.  As 
the  boys  were  a  little  short  of  rations  —  or  thought  of  going 
up  about  Knoxville,  where  they  would  be  —  they  managed 
to  absorb  25  or  30  boxes  of  hard-tack,  which  they  found 
lying  loose  in  the  depot-yard,  during  our  stay  there.  From 
Chattanooga  we  flitted  rapidly  by  most  of  the  villages,  only 
stopping  for  fuel  and  water  for  the  engine.  Many  sweet 
memories  were  revived  as  we  passed  Cleveland,  Athens, 
Charleston,  Calhoun  and  London.  At  a  deserted  station, 
we  found  a  number  of  very  nice  cedar  buckets  ;  and  as  we 
had  just  exhausted  our  assortment  of  cedar  buckets,  this 
w^as  a  good  opportunity  to  replenish  our  stock.  And  they 
came  in  very  handy  the  next  morning,  17th,  when  we  got 
to  Lenoir,  where  we  had  to  carry  water  for  the  engine.  A 
nice  old  fellow  who  lived  just  over  the  mountain,  had  also 
left  several  barrels  of  cider  for  us  at  this  place  ;  and  again 
the  cedar  pails  came  in  excellent  play. 

We  passed  through  Knoxville  during  that  night,  and 
arrived  at  New  Market,  East  Tennessee,  Saturday  morn 
ing,  March  18. 

The  railroad  from  Huntsville  to  New  Market,  which  is 
about  30  miles  east  of  Knoxville,  was  at  that  time  in  an 
execrable  condition  ;  but  the  soft  clay  roads  were  so  much 
worse,  we  were  glad  to  put  up  with  the  cinders  and  bumped 
heads  and  bruised  bones  incurred  in  the  jolting  journey. 

AT    NEW    MARKET. 

We  found  the  people  of  New  Market  the  most  loyal  of 
any  we  had  met  in  the  South  ;  and  they  seemed  also  pos- 


AT    NEW    MARKET,  E.  TENN .  293 

sessed  of  a  higher  and  purer  civilization.  They  were  plain 
spoken,  but  not  rude  nor  coarse  ;  they  were  pious,  and  the 
women  were  modest  and  polite;  and  their  conversation, 
songs  and  all  their  conduct  indicated  a  refinement  that  was 
natural,  and  rendered  them  attractive.  And  in  this  lovely 
month  of  March  all  nature  seemed  in  harmonious  keeping. 

We  were  camped  about  half  a  mile  from  town,  which 
made  it  convenient  lor  us  to  attend  church .  On  Sunday 
morning,  19th,  there  was  preaching  at  the  church  nearest 
to  our  camp,  by  the  chaplain  of  the  8th  Kansas,  in  which 
he  took  occasion  to  score  the  rebels  mercilessly.  There  was 
present  a  fair  representation  of  ladies,  who  seemed  highly 
delighted.  The  evening  service  was  conducted  by  Chaplain 
Randall  Ross,  of  the  15th  Ohio.  Then  we  had  "social" 
meeting  every  evening  through  the  week,  the  church  being 
crowded  on  each  occasion. 

In  a  quiet,  sunny  spot  in  the  little  cemetery,  we  found 
the  grave  of  our  former  comrade,  Miltiades  Gash,  a  mem 
ber  of  the  band,  who  left  us  March  26,  '62,  and  joined  a 
New  Jersey  cavalry  regiment.  Loving  hands  had  kept  the 
humble  mound  in  order,  and  a  neat  head-stone  with  an  ap 
propriate  inscription,  marked  the  place. 

ESCAPE    OF    MAJOR    DENNY    AND    CAPTAIN    GUDE. 

Wednesday,  22d,  our  regiment  experienced  a  real  sen 
sation  by  the  arrival  at  our  picket  line,  near  this  place,  of 
Major  Wm.  N.  Denny  and  Capt.  Alfred  Gude,  of  Co.  H, 
both  of  whom  had  escaped  from  rebel  prison  at  Chester, 
S.  C.,  about  five  weeks  before,  and  had  traveled  on  foot  all 
the  way,  about  250  miles,  over  mountains  and  through  a 
most  desolate  country.  They  made  their  first  appearance 
at  our  line  on  Mossy  Creek,  and  from  their  dress  were  sup 
posed  to  be  rebel  deserters.  As  soon  as  it  was  discovered 
where  they  belonged,  and  were  informed  of  the  proximity 
of  the  Fifty-First,  they  were  almost  prostrated  by  the  an 
nouncement.  Thev  were  conducted  to  our  boys,  who  were 


294  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

overjoyed  to  see  them.  Instantly  the  travel- worn  and  tat 
tered  refugees  were  caught  up  and  borne  into  carap  on  the 
shoulders  of  the  delighted  comrades,  amid  deafening  shouts 
and  wildest  demonstrations  of  joy.  They  were  completely 
disguised  by  the  suits  of  dirty  dingy  grey,  and  the  changes 
in  their  countenances  produced  by  hardship.  As  soon  as 
they  were  able  to  talk  coherently,  they  gave  a  very  graphic 
and  affecting  description  of  their  sufferings  ;  having  met 
on  their  way  with  barbarous  treatment  by  the  most  cruel 
and  depraved  class  of  people  they  had  ever  known .  The 
women  had  proved  their  worst  foes  during  their  difficult 
journey,  being  generally  debauched,  drunken  and  filthy  in 
both  conduct  and  conversation,  and  committed  every  kind 
of  indecency  that  tongue  could  describe  or  fancy  picture. 
Fit  inhabitants  they  of  the  leading  State  in  the  murderous 
attempt  on  the  life  of  the  Nation  !  The  poor  fellows  were 
soon  stripped  of  their  rebel  rags,  and  provided  with  com 
fortable  suits  of  blue  ;  and  were  made  to  feel  as  happy  as 
was  possible  under  the  circumstances. 

At  the  same  time,  Captain  McQuidden,  of  the  5th  Ten 
nessee,  who  was  captured  with  our  command,  and  escaped 
from  rebel  prison,  also  came  to  the  Union  lines,  and  was 
escorted  to  our  camp.  He  was  an  excellent  man,  of  plain, 
practical  sense,  and  a  good  soldier ;  and  we  treated  him  as 
one  of  our  own . 

After  a  day  or  two  of  rest  and  recuperation  in  camp, 
the  refugees  were  given  leaves  of  absence,  and  proceeded 
to  their  homes. 

Colonel  Streight's  resignation  was  accepted  March  16, 
and  he  was  at  Indianapolis  on  the  20th.  The  same  day, 
Captain  Anderson,  having  recovered  from  the  wound  he  re 
ceived  at  Overton  Hill,  left  that  city  for  the  front. 

Our  camp  at  New  Market  was  a  very  nice  one.  We 
built  fine  quarters,  and  decorated  them  with  cedar,  which 
grew  plentifully  thereabout.  General  Wood  visited  us  on 
Sunday,  26th,  and  complimented  our  boys  highly  on  the 


AT  BULL'S  GAP.  295 

handsome  appearance  of  our  camp.  This  was  of  short  du 
ration,  however;  for  on  the  following  Tuesday  we  received 
orders  to  prepare  for  campaigning.  We  had  since  the  last 
winter's  campaign  been  supplied  with  "wall"  tents;  these 
we  turned  over,  with  our  camp  equipage,  and  got  ready  to 
take  the  road  again. 

Wednesday  morning,  29th,  we  struck  tents  at  6  o'clock, 
and  moved  out  for  Bull's  Gap,  distant  about  45  miles  east ; 
crossing  Mossy  Creek,  4  miles  out,  and  marching  13  miles 
that  day.  Next  day  it  poured  down  rain  all  the  forenoon  ; 
but  we  pushed  right  ahead,  passing  through  Morristown,  a 
railroad  station  5  miles  further  on ,  and  Russellville ,  7  miles 
more,  where  we  camped  that  night.  Friday,  31st,  brought 
us  to  Bull's  Gap,  about  noon.  There  we  built  board  shan 
ties,  with  "dog-tent"  roofs,  and  made  ourselves  as  nearly 
comfortable  as  we  could  ;  thinking  we  would  remain  some 
time.  The  country  was  a  desolate  barren,  consisting  of  a 
succession  of  bluff  backbone  ridges  and  narrow  ravines, 
covered  with  a  sandy  alluvium,  in  which  the  boys  found  a 
great  quantity  of  small  quartz  polygons,  resembling  dia 
monds  ;  the  first  specimens  of  which  produced  a  fever  of 
excitement  in  camp,  when  they  were  exhibited.  The  whole 
command  was  soon  out  hunting  diamonds  ;  and  every  one 
expected  to  go  home  soon  a  millionaire.  We  found  also 
many  fine  specimens  of  petrifaction,  which  Longstreet's 
men  had  turned  out  with  their  picks  and  shovels  while  for 
tifying  against  Burnside. 

We  were  always  eager  for  our  mail .  Frequently  it  was 
delayed,  as  there  were  innumerable  causes  for  interruption 
both  ways  ;  and  the  transportation  of  the  mails  was  always 
attended  with  danger  of  capture  by  guerrillas.  Our  chap 
lain  was  a  cowardly  kind  of  soldier,  and  never  ventured  to 
the  rear  —  or  any  other  direction,  out  of  sight  of  the  regi 
ment.  After  he  resigned,  our  mail  was  delivered  for  a  long 
time  by  a  brigade  orderly,  and  was  distributed  to  the  com 
panies  by  the  sergeant-major.  It  was,  therefore,  a  matter 


296  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

of  great  satisfaction  to  every  one,  that  at  this  place,  Corpo- 
poral  Taswell  Dodd,  of  Co.  K,  was  appointed  regimental 
postmaster.  He  continued  in  this  position  until  he  was 
mustered  out  of  the  service,  October  4,  '65,  by  reason  of 
expiration  of  term  of  service  ;  and  the  postoffice  was  estab 
lished  in  the  adjutant's  tent. 

It  was  during  this  month  of  March,  '65,  also,  that  the 
indignity  was  thrust  upon  Co.  C,  of  a  drunken  "troopee" 
being  promoted  to  a  lieutenancy  over  many  old  war-worn 
veterans,  and  then  hastily  advanced  to  the  captaincy  of 
that  company.  He  completed  the  disgraceful  farce  by  de 
serting  the  following  September.  Vale!  Emazcetta! 

AT    GREENVILLE,    TENN. 

On  Tuesday,  April  4,  we  left  Bull's  Gap,  and  marched 
through  Blue  Springs,  the  next  railroad  point,  to  Green 
ville,  18  miles;  reaching  the  latter  place  at  night.  After 
going  into  camp,  and  when  our  tents  were  partly  up,  we 
were  again  ordered  into  line,  and  moved  to  the  east  side  of 
town,  where  the  boys  erected  nice  shanties  and  bunks.  We 
went  to  sleep  with  the  cheering  news  that  Grant  had  cap 
tured  20,000  prisoners  in  front  of  Richmond.  There  was 
great  joy  all  over  camp. 

Our  camp  was  located  on  a  beautiful  green  mound, 
selected  with  special  regard  to  the  health  of  the  boys.  We 
had  a  fine  view  from  here,  of  the  surrounding  country.  On 
one  side  rose  the  town,  while  on  the  other  we  looked  away 
to  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountains,  the  nearest  spur  of  which 
was  distant  10  miles,  but  which  the  peculiarity  of  the  at 
mosphere  made  to  appear  not  more  than  2  or  3.  The  State 
line  of  North  Carolina  was  about  15  miles  away,  and  was 
plainly  discernible,  running  along  upon  the  summit  of  the 
mountains . 

Thursday  following,  a  large  detail  was  made  from  the 
Fifty-First,  to  cut  railroad  ties.  The  work  of  general  re 
pairs  was  being  vigorously  prosecuted  along  this  line,  and 


"LIKE  A  HOG!"  297 

our  boys  again  exhibited  the  skill  that  had  been  developed 
under  the  colonel's  direction  during  the  earlier  days  of  the 
war.  The  80th  Illinois  was  camped  near  us  ;  and  many 
little  tokens  of  fraternal  feeling  were  exchanged  with  our 
former  fellow-prisoners  of  war. 

NEWS  OF  LEE'S  SURRENDER. 

April  10,  we  received  news  of  Lee's  surrender.  The 
intelligence  seemed  almost  too  good  to  be  true  ;  yet  we  had 
been  daily  expecting  it,  and  were  ready  for  the  unbounded 
and  universal  rejoicing  that  followed.  The  enthusiasm  in 
the  4th  Corps  manifested  itself  in  a  manner  that  must  cer 
tainly  have  convinced  the  people  of  that  section,  of  our 
total  disregard  for  expense  when  we  undertook  to  celebrate. 
It  began  in  the  2d  Division,  and  was  the  result  of  a  mad 
freak  of  one  company.  That  company,  just  before  "taps" 
that  night,  marched  out  along  the  railroad,  and  discharged 
their  guns.  Another  company  followed  suit;  and  it  was 
not  long  until  the  whole  division  was  engaged.  It  lasted 
nearly  three  hours.  Our  boys  were  just  retiring,  when  an 
orderly  came  galloping  down  with  the  order  to  "fall  in." 
The  order  was  instantly  obeyed  ;  and  in  a  very  few  minutes 
every  man  was  in  line.  We  remained  in  line  about  an 
hour,  when  another  orderly  announced  that  the  men  might 
return  to  their  quarters.  Gradually  the  noise  subsided; 
.and  by  midnight  the  camps  were  as  quiet  as  a  cemetery. 

"LIKE  A  HOG  !" 

We  passed,  in  town,  the  Williams  residence,  where  the 
noted  horsethief  and  murderer,  John  Morgan,  of  Lexing 
ton,  Ky.,  was  killed,  while  skulking  from  his  captors.  The 
'snaggle-toothed  old  hag  who  survived  the  family,  and  who 
stood  guard  over  the  house,  treated  the  very  civil  and  cour 
teous  inquiries  of  our  boys  quite  contemptuously,  and  shut 
the  door  violently  in  their  faces.  The  guerrilla  Morgan 
was  killed  in  that  house,  or  just  as  he  jumped  from  the  low 
gallery  into  the  garden  below,  by  Andrew  G.  Campbell,  of 


298  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

a  Tennessee  cavalry  troop.  Some  time  previous  to  that,. 
Morgan  had  discovered  Captain  Keenan,  a  United  States 
officer,  at  his  home,  near  this  place,  very  sick.  He  is  said 
to  have  killed  the  officer,  and  placing  him  in  an  old  wagon, 
ordered  his  men  to  "haul  him  off  like  a  hog!"  It  is  also 
said  that  when  Campbell  shot  Morgan,  he  took  the  body  up 
on  his  horse,  carried  it  out  of  town  a  short  distance,  and 
threw  it  down  in  the  road,  saying,  "There  you  are,  like  a 
hog!"  Campbell  was  promoted  to  a  lieutenancy  for  this 
service,  as  he  deserved  to  be. 

Further  down  the  street  was  the  home  of  Andy  John 
son,  in  front  of  which  still  hung  his  old  sign,  that  read  : 


A.  JOHNSON,  TAILOR. 


A  dilapidated  sign,  on  a  dilapidated  house  ;  fit  token  of 
the  dilapidated  record  of  a  very  dilapidated  citizen  ;  who 
would  have  served  this  Nation  a  million  times  better,  if  he 
had  continued  to  make  and  mend  breeches  for  the  people 
of  that  obscure  village,  than  he  did  in  "making  treason 
odious"  by  placing  traitors  on  top,  and  by  helping  to  neu 
tralize  a  large  part  of  what  had  been  accomplished  by  the 
war;  and  thereby  putting  a  stain  upon  our  flag  and  Gov 
ernment,  that  has  ever  since  brought  the  blush  of  shame 
to  every  patriot's  cheek. 

Martin  Clinesmith,  a  German  boy  in  Co.  D,  who  was 
sadly  afflicted  with  epilepsy,  bit  his  tongue  so  severely  in 
a  fit,  one  day,  that  he  died  from  the  result,  and  was  buried 
here.  George  McCormick,  of  Co.  A,  is  also  recorded  as 
having  died  at  this  place. 

On  Tuesday,  April  11,  a  heavy  rain  set  in,  that  con 
tinued  unceasingly  until  about  noon  of  the  13th  ;  and  the 
entire  surface  of  the  earth  in  that  section  was  reduced  to 
an  immense  puddle  of  mud.  The  atmosphere  was  a  misty 
soggy,  aguish  sort,  that  penetrated  one's  bones  even;  and 
all  nature  seemed  ashamed  of  itself. 


THANKSGIVING    IN    CAMP.  299 

Friday,  14th,  was  observed  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving, 
We  had  no  turkeys,  save  the  kind 

"  which  our  commissary  found, 
While  we  were  marching  through  Georgia;  " 

and  they  were  precious  scarce  just  then.  But  the  battery 
opened  its  chorus  of  patriotic  voices,  and  100  rounds  went 
roaring  away  to  the  distant  Blue  Ridge,  and  bounding  over 
the  rocky  bed  of  the  French  Broad  River,  whose  head  was 
found  among  the  neighboring  foothills.  Our  hearts  were 
full  of  gratitude  for  the  great  deliverance  of  our  land  from 
anarchy  and  ruin  and  shame.  War  was  over,  and  peace 
was  declared  ;  and  official  acknowledgment,  made  by  the 
authorized  leaders  of  the  so-called  "Confederate  States  of 
America,"  that  they  were  whipped,  was  formally  and  uni 
versally  published.  The  infamous  rebellion  of  hot-headed 
slave-drivers  of  the  South  and  white  niggers  of  the  North, 
was  crushed  out ;  and  the  tag-ends  that  occupied  East  Ten 
nessee,  West  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  were  fleeing  be 
fore  the  wrath  of  the  loyal  natives,  and  were  glad  to  find 
refuge  under  the  protecting  folds  of  the  stars  and  stripes 
they  had  so  lately  insulted  and  outraged. 

PRESIDENT    LINCOLN'S    DEATH. 

But  our  joy  was  turned  to  deepest  gloom  and  sorrow 
on  the  following  day,  when  the  news  of  the  assassination  of 
President  Lincoln  came.  It  spread  like  a  pall  over  every 
heart ;  and  the  whole  day  was  a  season  of  humiliation  and 
awe  toward  the  Almighty  Father,  who  controlled  the  desti 
nies  of  nations  and  individuals,  and  was  bringing  our  land 
through  the  divided  waters  to  the  fruition  of  our  long  de 
ferred  hopes.  In  our  grief,  therefore,  we  rejoiced,  though 
we  were  no  longer  jubilant.  The  Moses  of  our  pilgrimage 
was  only  perm^  3d  to  look  over  into  the  promised  glory  of 
our  great  Nation,  but  not  to  possess  it ;  and  the  shadow  of 
our  martyred  President  floated  over  our  sad  hearts.  The 
sacrifice  was  a  worthy  one,  and  fit  to  crown  the  pyramid  of 
noble  lives  that  had  already  been  yielded  up  for  the  cause 


300  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

of  human   liberty.     Our  cause  was   triumphant,   and  the 
Nation  was  saved. 

"  Who  said  that  the  stars  in  our  banner  were  dim  — 

That  their  glory  had  faded  away? 
Look  up  and  behold!  how  bright  through  each  fold 
They  are  flashing  and  smiling  to-day  !  " 

Sunday,  16th,  two  3d  Ohio  officers,  who  had  escaped 
from  some  rebel  prison,  came  into  our  lines  here,  dressed 
in  rebel  uniforms.  They  were  soon  supplied  with  decent 
clothing,  and  forwarded  to  their  homes. 

Next  day  stragglers  from  Lee's  vanquished  army  began 
coming  in.  They  were  nearly  starved,  and  devoured  the 
provisions  our  boys  gave  them  ravenously. 

On  the  20th,  the  work  on  the  railroad  was  completed, 
and  a  train  of  cars  arrived.  They  were  the  first  that  had 
run  here  since  the  Union  troops  had  occupied  this  place. 

BACK    TO    NASHVILLE    AGAIN. 

Saturday,  April  22,  we  struck  tents  at  sunrise,  and 
bidding  adieu  to  Greenville,  retraced  our  steps  to  Bull's 
Gap,  arriving  there  at  3  r.  M.  Scarcely  were  we  settled  in 
camp,  before  Lee's  men,  by  thousands,  began  to  swarm  in, 
who  having  stacked  their  guns  and  piled  up  their  traps  on 
the  field  where  they  surrendered,  had  proceeded  this  far  on 
their  way  back  to  their  homes.  AVe  divided  our  rations 
with  them;  which,  in  their  half-starved  condition,  were 
gladly,  if  not  gratefully,  received. 

Next  day  our  wagon  train  moved  out  early  for  Knox- 
ville,  with  orders  to  turn  over  everything  there  to  the  de 
partment.  Things  looked  very  much  like  we  were  going 
home  ;  but  we  had  been  deceived  so  many  times,  that  we 
did  not  bank  much  on  mere  appearances.  Our  brigade  re 
mained  at  Bull's  Gap  till  Thursday,  27th.  During  this 
time  large  detachments  of  paroled  rebel  soldiers  from  Lee's 
army  continued  to  pass  through  ;  one  entire  brigade  camp 
ing  near  us  on  the  26th.  On  the  27th,  we  embarked  on  a 
railroad  train  for  Knoxville,  where  we  arrived  at  3  P.  M., 


RETURN    TO    NASHVILLE.  301 

the  same  day,  and  remained  till  11  o'clock  that  night.  We 
proceeded  thence,  in  comfortable  box-cars,  to  Chattanooga, 
which  we  reached  at  noon  ;  but  we  did  not  stay  for  dinner. 
Possibly  our  last  experience  there  had  some  relation  to  our 
hasty  passage  through  the  town.  We  got  to  Stevenson  at 
sunset,  and  laid  there  till  9  o'clock,  when  we  proceeded  on 
our  way,  reaching  Murfreesboro  about  9  o'clock  Saturday 
morning,  April  29,  and  Nashville  about  noon.  Thence  we 
moved  out  to  a  point  4  miles  from  that  city,  on  the  Chicken 
pike,  which  led  into  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  and  was  close 
to  a  beautiful  little  stream  called  Mill  Creek.  This  stream 
was  about  75  feet  wide,  and  3  to  12  feet  deep.  Our  camp 
was  named  in  honor  of  our  former  brave  young  command 
er,  Gen.  Charles  G.  Harker.  Here  we  were  shortly  joined 
by  Major  Denny,  who  was  then  the  ranking  officer  of  the 
regiment.  He  had  enjoyed  his  furlough,  and  was  greatly 
improved  in  appearance.  Other  officers  and  enlisted  men, 
of  whom  it  has  been  impossible  to  obtain  either  names  or 
any  particulars,  also  returned  to  the  regiment  in  this  camp. 
May  came  in  with  smiling  face  ;  and  the  boys,  inspired 
with  the  confident  expectation  of  speedy  discharge,  spruced 
up  a  little  in  anticipation  of  the  meeting  that  awaited  them 
with  "the  girl  they  left  behind  them." 


302  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 


DISSOLUTION. 


THE    LAST    REVIEW. 

On  the  5th,  orders  were  received  to  prepare  for  a  grand 
review.  That  day  and  the  next  we  had  regimental  drill, 
and  on  Sunday,  7th,  regimental  inspection.  The  following 
day  was  occupied  very  actively  by  every  one  in  burnishing 
guns  and  bayonets  and  swords,  and  trimming  up  wagons, 
ambulances,  artillery,  tents  and  camp  equipage  of  all  sorts, 
and  otherwise  perfecting  each  command  for  the  review. 

Tuesday,  May  9,  was  a  lovely  day  ;  and  every  one  was 
in  fine  spirits  ;  though  each  was  impressed  with  a  degree  of 
seriousness  that  was  always  present.  We  were  soon  to  be 
forever  disbanded  ;  and  it  was  desired  that  when  we  doffed 
the  soldier  uniform,  we  would  have  one  particular  occasion 
by  which  we  would  remember  our  last  association  as  an  or 
ganization.  The  ground  on  which  General  Thomas  was  to 
review  his  splendid  army  for  the  last  time,  was  well  chosen, 
being  the  same  on  which  we  had  accomplished  our  glorious 
victory  over  the  rebel  hosts  under  Hood,  the  winter  before. 
The  lines  were  formed  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  a  salute  of 
13  guns  announced  the  presence  of  the  commander,  and 
was  the  signal  for  the  commencement  of  the  review.  The 
general,  accompanied  by  his  staff,  then  taking  position  on 
the  right,  rode  slowly  down  the  line,  proudly  waving  -his 
hat  at  the  boys,  who  responded  enthusiastically  by  present 
ing  arms,  dipping  of  colors  and  glad  shouts.  There  was 
hand-shaking  and  tears,  as  the  meaning  of  this  occasion 


THE    LAST    GRAND    REVIEW.  303 

crept  into  the  intelligence  of  the  brave  boys  who  formed 
this  historic  assemblage  of  the  greatest  army  that  ever  was 
organized  on  earth  ;  and  which  was  to  be  the  last  general 
gathering  this  side  of  eternity.  Four  tedious  years  of  tire 
some  marches,  bloody  battles,  watching  and  enduring,  had 
we  been  together,  commander  and  command  ;  through  the 
dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  that  brought  destruc 
tion,  but  never  real  disaster  ;  and  down  the  pleasant  slopes 
of  final  triumph  and  victory !  Well  might  the  tattered 
flags,  that  told  the  whole  story,  droop  low  to  our  hero  and 
our  pride,  as  he  passed  !  The  boys  remembered  it  all.  In 
those  lines  were  the  bronzed  veterans  who  had  been  with 
him  at  Mill  Springs,  while  the  Fifty-First  was  constructing 
corduroy  road  at  Hall's  Gap,  in  order  to  furnish  his  com 
mand  with  supplies  ;  at  Stone  River,  where  Harker's  brave 
brigade  withstood  Breckenridge's  vaunted  division  ;  at  the 
slaughter  of  Chicamauga ;  at  Missionary  Ridge,  Atlanta, 
Franklin,  Nashville,  and  a  hundred  other  fields,  brought 
to  full  view  by  our  decimated  ranks.  The  thought  that  the 
old  Cumberland  Army,  one  of  the  proudest  and  most  uni 
formly  successful  armies  that  ever  was  organized,  was  to  be 
disbanded  forever,  produced  in  advance  a  sense  of  loneli 
ness  that  few  could  resist.  None  of  us  were  fond  of  war  ; 
but  there  had  grown  up  between  the  boys  an  attachment 
for  each  other,  they  never  had,  nor  ever  will  have,  for  any 
other  body  of  men.  This  fraternity  is  still  preserved  ;  and 
they  will  treasure  forever  and  aye,  the  affection  cemented 
on  field  of  battle  and  on  weary  march,  in  sickness,  hunger 
and  cold;  and  that  bound  equally,  as  with  cords  of  steel, 
commanders  and  commanded. 

In  the  Cumberland  Army  there  was  no  "feather-bed" 
business  —  no  toadyism.  Those  soldiers — with  rare  excep 
tions  ;  and  we  didn't  call  them  soldiers  —  won  their  honors  ; 
and  deservedly  they  now  enjoy  them  wherever  loyalty  and 
patriotism  hold  over  copperheadism  and  bossism.  Those 
.boys  who  had  lain  on  the  cold,  damp  ground  ;  marched  in 


304  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  sweltering,  scorching  heat  of  southern  summer  suns,  in 
clouds  of  dust  and  drifts  of  sand  ;  through  storms  of  rain 
and  sleet  and  hail ;  and  endured  all  manner  of  hardship 
and  trial  and  suffering  that  mortality  is  capable  of,  through 
four  long  years  ;  and  all  for  the  noble  cause  we  had  all  so 
freely  espoused,  will  not  forget  each  other  while  life  lasts  ; 
but  there  will  ever  linger  a  fond  recollection  of  the  multi 
tude  of  incidents  of  mutual  interest,  that  shall  tend  to 
unite  them  even  more  firmly,  as  their  lives  approach  the 
end  ;  and  that  will  be  calculated  to  make  ours  a  better  Na 
tion.  We  had  learned  many  things.  Our  experience  in 
state  affairs  had  been  considerably  extended,  our  wits  were 
brightened,  and  our  judgment  strengthened.  We  had  not 
scented  out  nice  hams  and  shoulders  in  underground  bins, 
salt  in  fodder-shocks,  potatoes  and  other  good  things  in  ob 
scure  corners,  to  no  purpose.  We  all  realized  this,  and  we 
believed  along  with  it  that/ conversely  with  the  prediction 
of  demagoguic  copperheads,  "that  the  dissolution  of  the 
army  would  scatter  broadcast,  as  an  epidemic  in  the  land, 
a  horde  of  thieves  and  cutthroats  such  as  no  nation  ever 
was  afflicted  with," — we  were  better  men,  save  physically, 
than  we  were  when  we  went  in. 

The  review  closed  about  3  P.  M.  ;  being  witnessed  by 
thousands  of  citizens.  Accompanying  the  review,  the  fol 
lowing  general  order  was  issued  : 

"GENERAL  ORDERS  HDQRS.  DEFT.  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND,  \ 

No.  30.  NASHVILLE,  TENN.  May  10,  1865.  j 

The  general  commanding  the  department  takes  pride  in  conveying 
to  the  Fourth  Army  Corps  the  expression  of  his  admiration,  excited  by 
their  brilliant  and  martial  display  at  the  review  of  yesterday. 

As  the  battalions  of  your  magnificent  corps  swept  successively  before 
the  eye,  the  coldest  heart  must  have  warmed  with  interest  in  contempla 
tion  of  those  men  who  had  passed  through  the  varied  and  shifting  scenes 
of  this  great  modern  tragedy,  who  had  stemmed  with  unyielding  breasts 
the  rebel  tide  threatening  to  engulf  the  landmarks  of  freedom,  and  who, 
bearing  on  their  bronzed  and  furrowed  brows  the  ennobling  marks  of  the 
years  of  hardship,  suffering  and  privation,  undergone  in  defense  of  free 
dom  and  the  integrity  of  the  Union,  could  still  preserve  the  light  step, 
and  wear  the  cheerful  expression  of  youth. 


IN    CAMP    MARKER,  NASHVILLE.  305 

Though  your  gay  and  broidered  banners,  wrought  by  dear  hands  far 
away,  were  all  shred  and  war-worn,  were  they  not  blazoned  on  every 
stripe  with  words  of  glory  —  Sliiloh,  Spring  Hill,  Stone  River,  Chicka- 
mauga,  Atlanta,  Franklin,  Nashville,  and  many  other  glorious  names, 
too  numerous  to  mention  in  an  order  like  this?  By  your  prowess  and 
fortitude  .you  have  ably  done  your  part  in  restoring  the  golden  boon  of 
peace  and  order  to  your  once  distracted  but  now  grateful  country,  and 
your  commander  is  at  length  enabled  to  give  you  a  season  of  well-earned 
rest. 

But,  soldiers,  while  we  exult  at  our  victories,  let  us  not  be  forgetful 
of  those  brave,  devoted  hearts,  which,  pressing  in  advance,  throbbed 
their  last  amid  the  smoke  and  din  of  battJe,  nor  withhold  our  sympathy 
for  the  afflicted  wife,  child  and  mother,  consigned,  far  oft'  at  home,  to 
lasting,  cruel  grief. 

BY   COMMAND   OF   MAJOR-GENERAL  THOMAS. 

WM.  D.  WHIPPLE, 

Assistant  Adjutant- General, 

IN    CAMP    HARKER,  NASHVILLE. 

During  our  stay  in  Camp  Harker,  we  had  many  visit 
ors,  both  from  the  city  and  from  home.  Among  the  latter, 
was  the  wife  of  Capt.  J.  A.  Delano,  who  was  an  excellent 
lady,  and  was  greatly  admired  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  her.  She  visited  our  camp  on  Saturday,  May  13,  in 
company  with  the  captain  ;  on  which  occasion  the  boys  of 
Co.  F  gave  her  a  reception. 

On  the  16th  a  number  of  the  comrades  visited  the  bat 
tle-field  on  Overtoil's  Hill,  where  on  December  16,  '64,  our 
command  covered  itself  with  glory  by  its  successful  assault 
on  the  enemy's  stronghold,  and  by  sweeping  from  existence 
Lee's  entire  corps  of  rebels.  Many  relics  were  picked  up, 
which  were  subsequently  sent  home  as  souvenirs  of  that 
historic  ground  and  its  remarkable  associations. 

Friday,  May  19,  we  had  brigade  drill,  under  the  direc 
tion  of  our  new  commander,  Gen.  Chas.  C.  Doolittle,  who 
also  inspected  the  regiment  on  the  following  Tuesday.  We 
continued  each  Sunday  to  have  regimental  inspection. 

A  very  distressing  accident  occurred  on  the  22d.  Two 
soldiers,  Wm.  S.  Woods  worth,  of  Co.  H,  and  another  com 
rade,  whose  name  could  not  be  learned,  were  drowned  in 
20 


306  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Mill  Creek,  while  bathing.  Their  bodies  were  recovered, 
and  properly  cared  for. 

Saturday,  June  3,  orders  were  received  for  all  '62  men 
to  be  mustered  out  of  the  service.  This  created  quite  a 
sensation  throughout  the  entire  army  ;  the  veterans  intui 
tively  foreseeing  a  continuation  of  their  service,  in  some 
capacity.  The  solution  was  not  long  delayed  ;  and  a  deep 
murmur  of  disappointment  involuntarily  issued  from  the 
boys  who,  having  borne  the  heat  and  burthen  of  the  war, 
had  indulged  a  fond  dream  that  its  end  was  very  near  ;  yet 
no  one  uttered  a  word  of  complaint,  when  it  was  officially 
announced  that  the  4th  Corps  was  ordered  to  Texas.  There 
was  great  activity  among  the  '62  boys,  from  that  time  on, 
completing  muster-out  rolls,  taking  inventory  of  arms,  ac- 
couterments  and  camp  equipage.  On  the  6th,  they  signed 
the  pay-rolls,  and  on  the  9th,  they  turned  over  their  guns, 
etc.,  and  on  the  14th,  were  formally  mustered  out. 

A  circular  was  issued  about  this  time  from  corps  head 
quarters,  directing  regimental  and  battery  commanders, 
the  terms  of  service  of  whose  regiments  or  batteries  would 
not  expire  till  after  the  31st  of  October,  to  prepare  their 
rolls  immediately  for  payment  to  April  30,  1865.  Our  rolls 
were  soon  completed ,  and  forwarded  ;  they  were  for  eight 
months.  There  was  little  said  about  this  among  the  vete 
rans,  but  there  wras  a  settled  conviction  that  something  was 
behind  it.  This  was,  however,  largely  removed  on  receipt 
of  the  Cincinnati  Commercial  of  May  27,  containing  the 
following.  Governor  Morton  was  doing  all  he  could,  now 
that  the  war  was  over,  to  have  his  boys  relieved  and  sent 
home.  He  had  telegraphed  to  Washington  for  informa 
tion  regarding  the  muster-out  of  Indiana  soldiers,  and  this 

was  the  reply  : 

"  WASHINGTON,  May  26,  1865. 
GOVERNOR  MORTON : 

I  have  just  returned  from  General  Grant.  He  says  all 
muster  out  rolls  will  be  made  here,  but  no  discharge  papers  will  be  given 
to  the  men,  who  will  be  taken  in  a  body  to  Indianapolis,  and  paid  there. 


307 

All  veterans  will  -remain  in  service,  unless  Kirby  Smith  has  surrendered  ; 
in  which  case  they  also  will  be  mustered  out  at  once.  Western  troops 
are  to  be  sent  home  first,  immediately  after  the  first  of  June." 

" Unless  Kirby  Smith  has  surrendered  !"  Aye,  there 
was  the  rub  !  The  boys  were  rilled  with  delight  by  a  report 
that  Kirby  Smith  had  surrendered.  But  he  had  not;  and 
Secretary  Stanton  had  gotten  it  into  his  head  that  he  had 
no  thought  of  surrendering,  but  would  keep  up  the  war  in 
Texas.  Besides  this,  Maximilian  with  an  army  of  French 
soldiers  had  invaded  Mexico  ;  and  it  could  not  be  told  what 
sort  of  combination  might  not  be  made  to  thwart  the  pur 
pose  of  the  Government,  and  prolong  hostilities.  So  it  was 
determined  to  send  the  4th  Corps  to  Texas. 

About  the  10th  of  June,  word  was  received  at  regimen 
tal  headquarters  that  we  would  certainly  go  at  once  to  New 
Orleans.  This  intelligence  was  general,  and  soon  became 
the  all  absorbing  topic  of  conversation.  It  was  reported 
that  one  brigade  openly  declared  they  would  not  go  ;  and 
we  anticipated  a  little  trouble  on  their  account  and  those 
who  might  be  influenced  to  mutiny.  Wiser  counsel  pre 
vailed,  however,  and  these  fears  w^ere  all  dispelled  before 
the  time  came  to  move. 

NEWSPAPER    CORRESPONDENTS. 

One  class  of  persons  that  annoyed  us,  was  that  sort  of 
newspaper  correspondents  who,  having  secured  a  very  soft 
assignment,  without  adequate  qualification  for  such  posi 
tion,  were  ready  to  grasp  at  anything  that  came  their  way. 
They  furnished  a  fine  mark  for  our  wags,  and  were  made 
the  mediums  of  a  good  deal  of  sport  among  the  comrades. 
They  were  about  as  brave  as  the  average  of  quartermasters' 
clerks,  and  about  as  intelligent.  One  of  these  news-suckers 
would  fasten  onto  an  old  soldier  with 

"Aw,  beg  pawclon!  I  learn  you  are  going  to  Texas. 
Saw  several  transports  at  Nashv'l,  which  the  soldiers  said 
were  to  take  you  down  the  river." 

And  whipping  out  his  little  scratch-pad  and  pencil,  as 


308  FIFTY-FIRST     INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

he  adjusted  his  eye-glasses,  he  got  ready  for  a  stunning  re 
port.  And  he  got  it. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  veteran,  "we  knew  that  several 
days  ago.  Our  general  commanding  has  orders  to  take  his 
command  to  Corpus  Christopher,  and  fit  'em  up  for  a  two 
years'  campaign  in  Western  Texas  and  Mexico." 

"Possible?     Aw,  by  Jove  !  that's  a  long  time." 

"Yes  ;  we've  had  all  our  guns  packed  in  boxes,  so  they 
won't  be  in  our  way.  Each  man  is  to  be  promoted  as  cap 
tain,  and  our  present  officers  are  to  be  put  into  nigger  reg 
iments  and  sent  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  to  promote  order 
in  that  colony." 

"Wonderful  scheme,  that !     And  —  " 

"Well,  we  are  to  be  presented  with  a  thousand  acres 
apiece  of  the  best  land  in  the  South,  with  incomes  of  five 
to  ten  thousand  a  year." 

So  he  would  run  on,  with  one  big  yarn  after  another ; 
appealing  to  some  other  comrade  for  corroboration,  when 
ever  the  astonished  pencil-driver's  credulity  seemed  to  take 
a  check  or  to  waver ;  occasionally  weaving  in  something  a 
little  plausible,  to  make  the  rest  appear  at  least  possible. 
Then  the  delighted  correspondent  would  seek  a  quiet  spot, 
and  fix  up  a  great  story  for  some  one  of  the  enterprising 
dailies.  Nine  out  of  ten  of  these  smart  reporters,  or  those 
who  were  not  old  soldiers,  could  not  be  relied  on  for  a  true 
report ;  their  dialect  "gave  them  away"  instantly,  and  pre 
vented  their  gaining  information  to  which  the  shibboleth  of 
the  old  soldier  would  have  obtained  for  him  ready  and  wel 
come  access.  We  were  clannish,  and  besides  we  despised 
the  pedantry  and  quackery  that  characterized  the  majority 
of  war  correspondents. 

Surgeon  Collins,  being  the  ranking  surgeon  of  our  di 
vision,  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  general  field  hospital. 
He  at  once  detailed  Ast.  Surgeon  King  and  Steward  Fitch 
for  duty  at  his  headquarters.  Dr.  King  was  intrusted  with 
the  care  of  several  wards  of  the  hospital,  where  he  distin- 


THE     MYSTERY     SOLVED.  309 

guished  himself  by  his  efficiency  and  industry.  The  dis 
pensary  and  medical  supplies  were  supervised  by  Steward 
Fitch,  assisted  by  3  prescription  clerks  and  7  nurses.  This 
detail  was  materially  increased  afterward.  The  necessity 
for  this  detail  will  be  seen,  when  it  is  known  that  sometimes 
there  were  300  patients  in  the  various  wards  at  one  time. 
Most  of  these,  however,  were  sent  to  the  hospital  after  we 
had  been  in  Texas  some  time,  and  were  afflicted  with  mala 
ria  peculiar  to  that  country,  known  as  "breakbone"  fever, 
a  sort  of  combination  of  every  ache  and  pain  and  disagree 
able  feeling  or  condition  known  to  humanity,  and  that  is 
more  fully  described  further  on. 

THE    REASON    OF    IT    ALL. 

As  the  dissolution  of  the  Cumberland  Army  began  at 
this  time  ;  our  removal  from  Nashville  being  the  first  scene 
in  the  great  final  act;  the  following,  from  Van  Home's 
History  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  vol.  2,  page  369, 
will  probably  fit  in  here  better  than  elsewhere  ;  and  it  will 
certainly  be  of  genuine  interest  to  every  one  of  the  Fifty- 
First  veterans  : 

The  surrender  of  the  remaining  Confederate  armies  and  forces  east 
and  west  of  the  Mississippi  river  soon  followed  the  capitulation  of  Gen 
eral  Johnson  and  the  capture  of  Mr.  Davis.  Preparations  were  then 
promptly  made  to  disband  the  national  armies,  with  the  retention  of  such 
forces  only  as  were  necessary  to  prevent  political  and  socal  chaos  in  the 
Southern  States. 

The  formal  unity  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  was  restored  before 
its  dissolution  by  the  return  of  the  Fourteenth  ahd  Twentieth  Corps  with 
in  the  territorial  limits  of  the  Department  of  the  Cumberland.  This  re 
union  of  the  grand  units  under  their  revered  commander  was  eminently 
appropriate  as  wtll  as  historically  imperative.  Their  dismemberment  at 
Goldsboro,  North  Carolina,  occurring  after  their  last  battle  had  been 
fought,  did  not  really  impair  the  historical  unity  of  this  great  army. 
Still,  there  would  have  been  a  painful  lack  of  complete  roundness  in  its 
mere  organic  unity,  bad  two  corps  been  disbanded  outside  the  territorial 
limits  of  the  department. 

During  the  summer  of  1865,  the  4th  Corps  was  also  temporarily  de 
tached,  and  sent  upon  a  mission  to  Texas  under  General  Sheridan.  But 
it,  too,  was  soon  remanded  to  the  Department  of  the  Cumberland,  to  be 
disbanded,  as  were  the  Fourteenth  and  Twentieth,  by  General  Thomas. 


310  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

From  tbe  1st  of  June,  186-5,  to  February  1,  1866,  there  were  mustered 
out  of  the  service  of  the  United  States,  from  the  Army  of  the  Cumber 
land,  five  thousand  and  eighty-three  commissioned  officers  and  one  hun 
dred  and  thirty-seven  thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty-three  enlisted 
men,  exclusive  of  sixteen  regiments  of  cavalry,  whose  strength  was  not 
definitely  reported.  About  twenty  thousand  volunteer  troops  were  re 
tained  within  the  Military  Division  of  the  Tennessee,  under  the  com 
mand  of  Major-General  George  H.  Thomas,  until  a  later  period.  From 
the  data  given,  the  strength  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  at  the  close 
of  the  war,  may  be  placed,  with  approximate  correctness,  atone  hundred 
and  seventy-five  thousand  men.  And  when  these  heroic  citizen  soldiers 
were  remanded  to  the  duties  of  civil  life,  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
passed  from  organic  existence  to  live  in  history  as  an  army  unsurpassed, 
if  equaled,  by  any  of  the  great  armies  which  participated  in  our  gigantic 
civil  war — as  one  of  the  grandest  that  ever  battled  for  country  or  freedom. 

This  army  fought,  unaided,  the  battles  of  "Mill  Springs,"  "Perry- 
ville,"  "Stone  River,"  "Chickamauga,"  "Wauhatchee"  and  "Benton- 
ville;"  gave  essential  aid  to  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  at  "Fort  Donel- 
son "  and  "Pittsburg  Landing;"  in  combination  witli  that  army,  but,  in 
twofold  strength,  gained  the  decisive  victories  on  Lookout  Mountain  and 
Missionary  Ridge;  furnished  more  than  half  the  forces  for  the  Atlanta 
campaign,  placing  upon  its  banners  the  historic  fields  of  "Buzzard's 
Roi.st,"  "Resaca,"  "Rome,"  "New  Hope  Church,"  "Kenesaw  Moun 
tain,"  "Peach  Tree  Creek,"  "Atlanta,"  and  "Jonesboro  ;"  at  Jonesboro, 
represented  by  the  Fourteenth  Corps,  made  the  only  successful  assault,, 
in  force,  during  the  Atlanta  campaign,  carrying  intrenchments  held  by 
HardeeTs  corps;  formed  the  left  wing  of  the  army  which  marched  from 
Atlanta  to  Savannah,  and  then  swept  through  the  Carolinas  to  Rich 
mond  and  Washington  ;  divided  the  glory  of  "Franklin"  with  the  Army 
of  the  Ohio,  and  that  of  "Nashville"  with  the  Armies  of  the  Tennessee 
and  Ohio;  and,  represented  by  the  troopers  of  Generals  Wilson  and 
Stoneman,  rushed  through  Alabama,  Georgia,  Tennessee  and  North  Car 
olina,  in  swift  and  brilliant  sequence  to  the  great  central  battles  of  the 
war.  This  army,  in  its  unity,  never  gave  but  one  field  to  the  enemy* 
But  when  it  yielded  the  bloody  ground  of  Chickamauga,  it  had  revealed, 
under  conditions  of  battle  greatly  unequal,  its  invincibility  within  fair 
terms  of  conflict.  But  even  here  it  gained  the  fruits  of  victory,  under 
the  semblance  of  defeat,  as  it  held  Chattanooga,  the  objective  of  the 
campaign. 

A    QUERY    RAISED. 

Would  the  veracious  chronicler  state  when,  and  the 
exact  locality,  within  the  territory  of  the  Department  of 
the  Cumberland,  when  the  act  of  remanding  occurred,  to 
which  the  4th  Corps  was  taken?  According  to  the  official 
order  of  Gen.  D.  S.  Stanley,  afterward  commanding  the 


HAPPY    THOUGHT. 


311 


District  of  Texas,  the  principal  part  of  it  was  mustered  out 
in  Texas,  and  were  then  "remanded"  to  the  States  whence 
they  volunteered  or  were  drafted  from,  for  final  discharge. 
The  Fifty-First  came  directly  by  way  of  steamship  to  New 
Orleans;  thence,  without  delay,  to  Cairo,  on  steamboats  ; 
and  by  the  shortest  railroad  line  thence  to  Indianapolis  ;  as 
will  be  detailed  further  on.  Now,  it  is  possible,  that,  in 
order  to  preserve  this  "complete  roundness  in  its  organic 
unity,"  some  of  the  troops  were  switched  off  en  route,  and 
posed  in  interesting  and  impressive  tableaux  to  be  photo 
graphed  for  future  newspaper  enterprises.  But  the  Fifty- 
First  was  denied  this  additional  pleasure. 

What  a  happy  thought,  though,  there  was  in  "com 
pleting  the  roundness  of  our  organic  unity  !"  What  sub 
limity  and  transcendent  "appropriateness"  in  the  "reunion 
of  the  grand  units,"  that  caused  the  loss  of  hundreds  of 
noble  lives  that  went  out  on  the  plains  of  Texas,  and  on 
the  way  there  and  return  !  What  a  blessed  reflection  upon 
the  intelligence  and  judgment  and  justice  and  mercy  of  the 
authorities,  who  had  but  to  command  the  loyal  4th  Corps, 
to  insure  prompt  and  thorough  obedience  !  Some  would 
have  denounced  it  all  as  sheer  assumption  and  nonsensical 
display  ;  but  only  because  they  were  incapable  of  fathoming 
and  appreciating  the  beautiful  and  eternal  thingness  of  the 
what !  The  war  of  the  rebellion  had  ended,  and  our  hearts 
had  fondly  contemplated  the  glad  reunion  with  the  dear 
ones  at  home.  But  in  this  was  repeated,  for  the  millionth 
time,  the  old  couplet, — 

"O,  ever  thus,  from  childhood's  hour, 

I've  known  my  fondest  hopes  decay! 

and  we  made  up  our  minds  for  another  tedious  campaign. 
The  boys  could  find  no  other  cause  for  the  movement,  save 
that  certain  ends  of  personal  aggrandizement  were  not  yet 
consummated  ;  and  it  was  determined  to  test  the  gauge  a 
little  further.  They  were  philosophical,  though,  and  loyal 
to  the  core  ;  and  resolved  to  stand  it. 


312  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Think  of  the  boys  who  "went  at  their  country's  call," 
enduring  every  species  of  hardship  incident  to  war  in  the 
South;  and  in  addition  to  this,  think  of  them  breathing 
fever,  penetrating  mesquite  jungles,  making  their  beds  in 
the  presence  of  slavering  wolves  and  with  the  ubiquitous 
greybacks  ;  fighting  clouds  of  gallinippers  ;  guarding  them 
selves  with  empty  guns  against  the  hyenas,  alligators  and 
murderous  Texans  ;  constantly  in  peril  of  death  in  some 
form  —  all  to  gratify  the  whim  of  an  excited  and  pertina 
cious  official,  or  for  the  purpose  of  making  somebody  mili 
tary  governor,  or  of  securing  a  fat  railroad  contract  —  for 
such  was  the  conviction  of  many  other  than  ignorant  pri 
vates  ;  and  there  is  great  wonder  that  human  integrity  and 
fidelity  should  be  able  to  endure  this  last  test.  Thousands 
of  those  wrho  went  the  circuit  of  that  campaign,  are  still  no 
nearer  its  solution  than  they  were  when  they  entered  the 
Lone  Star  State. 

OFF    FOR    NEW    ORLEANS. 

Friday  morning,  June  16,  1865,  the  4th  Corps  "fell  in 
and  counted  off,"  and  at  the  command  took  up  its  sorrow 
ful  tramp  to  Nashville,  wrhere  cars  were  waiting  to  convey 
us  to  Johnsonville,  on  the  Tennessee  River,  distant  eighty 
miles  almost  due  west  from  Nashville.  The  boys  did  not 
relish  this  trip  much  ;  but  as  we  were  whirled  across  that 
battle-scarred  State  for  the  last  time,  each  tried  to  solace 
his  partner  by  predictions  of  a  surprise,  and  of  speedy  re 
turn  to  their  homes.  We  arrived  at  Johnsonville  the  same 
evening  in  time  to  stow  our  baggage  safely  in  the  steamers 
that  lay  at  the  most  convenient  landings  at  and  near  that 
town.  The  Fifty-First  was  consigned  to  the  boat  "W.  F. 
Curtis,"  Captain  Hunt,  master,  and  Thomas  Benton  Mid- 
dleswart,  the  gentlemanly  and  big-hearted  clerk.  On  this 
snug  craft  we  loaded  our  traps,  and  got  to  bed  as  soon  as 
practicable,  the  enlisted  men  distributed  about  the  decks, 
and  the  commissioned  officers  occupying  the  state-rooms. 


DOWN    THE    RIVER.  313 

All  the  boys  had  plenty  of  money,  having  retained  their 
recent  8-month's  allowance,  with  the  thought  of  taking  it 
home,  and  would  have  been  glad  to  pay  for  the  luxury  of  a 
state-room;  but  all  were  tired,  and  such  distinction  faded 
out  soon,  as  sweet  Morpheus  wafted  them  to  their  far-away 
homes,  which  were  gradually  growing  more  dimly  distant, 
and  the  chances  of  going  there  more  beautifully  less.  As 
we  proceeded  down  the  Tennessee,  they  found  some  com 
pensation  in  the  lovely  landscape  on  either  shore  of  the 
river,  as  our  fleet,  consisting  of  11  boats,  sped  along;  the 
murky  trails  of  smoke  streaming  away  from  the  lofty  spec 
tral  stacks,  down  upon  the  bosom  of  the  water.  Here,  on 
the  right,  is  a  clump  of  trees,  whose  branches  overhang  the 
margin,  beneath  whose  grateful  shadows  has  sported  many 
a  disciple  of  Isak  Walton.  A  poetic  comrade  remarked 
that  the  scene  reminded  him  of  the  "Lady  of  the  Lake," 
and  he  looked  to  see  her  "leave  the  shore."  Beyond  rose 
the  majestic  spurs  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  and  they 
seemed  to  hover  over  us,  as  they  reached  away  to  the  sky  ; 
and  we  were  filled  with  adoration  of  the  great  Architect, 
who  "measured  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,"  who 
"weighed  the  mountains  in  scales,"  and  to  whom  "the  na 
tions  are  as  a  drop  in  the  bucket."  Cool  springs  trickled 
from  the  rocks,  and  sparkled  in  the  sunshine,  as  they  went 
to  join  the  river  in  its  course  to  the  sea. 

The  first  day  out  the  boys  began  early  to  take  observa 
tions  about  the  steamer  ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  they 
were  on  speaking  terms  with  most  of  the  crew,  and  had 
even  penetrated  the  sacred  precinct  of  the  clerk's  office, 
where  a  few,  who  were  bolder  than  the  rest,  as  dinner  ap 
proached,  had  secured  tickets  for  the  first  table.  Soon 
others  who  felt  'keenly  the  necessity  for  "completing  the 
roundness  of  their  organic  unity,"  strode  bravely  up  to  the 
desk  and  applied  for  dinner  tickets.  They  were  met  by  a 
volume  of  sulphurous  vapor  that  rolled  out  from  that  office 
.and  down  over  the  decks,  while  behind  it  was  the  clerk,  in 


314  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

"fine  frenzy  rolling,"  and  calling  on  all  the  gods  of  heathen 
mythology  to  deliver  him  from  a  lot  of  military  orders  he 
had  received,  as  a  sort  of  bills  of  lading,  along  with  his 
human  cargo,  and  which  he  was  required  to  weave  into  his 
"log,"  which,  being  interpreted,  signifies  the  journal  of 
transactions  and  events  of  each  trip. 

SUBSTANTIAL    GRATITUDE. 

It  is  a  strange  fact,  that  humanity  lives  and  prospers 
off  of  each  other's  distresses  ;  and  one  man's  extremity  is 
another's  opportunity.  To  one  sympathizing  inquirer,  who 
was  among  the  applicants  at  the  window,  the  clerk  replied 
by  asking  the  soldier  what  his  position  was. 

"I  am  sergeant-major." 

The  clerk  had  been  a  soldier  himself,  long  enough  to 
know  something  about  the  experience  common  to  the  office 
of  sergeant-major.  He  exclaimed,  joyously, 

"You're  an  angel  from  heaven  !  You're  the  very  fel 
low  I  want.  Can't  you  help  me?" 

"Why,  I  guess  so.     What  is  it?" 

"Well,  for  heaven's  sake,  come  in  here  and  straighten 
this  out ;  and  I'll  make  it  interesting  for  you  the  rest  of 
this  trip!" 

He  said  he  had  no  trouble  about  the  boat,  nor  with  his 
regular  business  ;  but  those  blamed  military  orders  took  all 
the  wind  out  of  him. 

It  required  about  half  an  hour  to  "straighten  out"  his 
log  ;  but  before  it  was  through,  he  had  satisfied  the  hungry 
crowd  at  the  window  ;  and  drawing  his  new  assistant  from 
the  desk,  the  delighted  clerk,  with  a  grin  that  reached  half 
way  around  his  head,  led  him  to  the  private  table  of  the 
boat's  officers.  Seating  him  at  a  convenient  corner,  he- 
beckoned  the  steward  to  him,  and  gave  him  special  instruc 
tion  to  look  after  the  new  boarder;  adding,  "You  take  this 
place  every  meal !"  After  dinner,  the  steward  escorted  the 
soldier  through  the  cabin,  selected  a  state-room,  and  hand- 


AT    PADUCAH,    KY. 


315 


ing  the  soldier  the   key,  ordered  the  porter  to  put  his  bag 
gage  in  that  room.     At  the  same  time  the  steward  inquired 
if  his  guest  had   a  partner  ;  and  on  being  introduced  to 
Comrade  Dodd,  he  was  invited  to  occupy  the  upper  berth. 
So  they  lived  like  princes  till  we  landed   at  New  Orleans. 
The  new  assistant-clerk  made  himself  useful  at  the  desk,  a 
few  minutes  each  day,  and  kept  the  "log"  clear  of  military 
snags  ;  and  the  old  master  of  the  boat  tried  hard  to  induce 
him  to  get  a  discharge  from  the  army,  and  continue  on  the 
boat,  at  a  fine  salary.     But  we  were  all  in  for  "during  the 
war/'  and  it  was  a  matter  of  conscience  to  see  it  through. 
Quite  early  in  the  morning  of  the  17th,  we  passed  Fort 
Henry,   the  scene  of  the  early  conquest  of  General  Grant, 
and  also  of  the  harrowing  events  in  the  organization  of  the 
"Provisional   Brigade  ;"  and  we  quietly  drifted  as  close  as 
possible  to  the  old  stronghold,  which  had  tumbled  to  ruins, 
and  was  overgrown  with  grass  and  weeds.     While  creeping 
leisurely  along  here ,  some  of  the  boys  on  the  different  ves 
sels  of  the  fleet,  realizing  that  their  usefulness  as  soldiers 
was  at  an  end,  and  desiring  to  transform  their  swords  into 
pruning-hooks,   noiselessly  launched   themselves  into  the 
river;   but  waved  their  hands  wildly,   when  they  saw  the 
steamers'  crews  about  to  send  out  boats,  thinking  they  had 
fallen  overboard.     They  went  home,  enjoyed   a  brief  visit, 
and  joined  us  shortly  after  we  reached  Texas.     They  were, 
of  course,   reported   "absent  without  leave,"   but  a  little 
"extra  duty"  squared  the  account,  and  removed  whatever 
disability  may  have  existed. 

AT    PADUCAH,  KY. 

Arriving  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ten 
nessee  River,  and  500  miles  below  Cincinnati,  on  the  Ohio, 
we  were  permitted  to  go  ashore.  This  town  before  the  war 
was  the  principal  shipping  point  of  that  part  of  Kentucky, 
and  vast  quantities  of  pork,  tobacco,  mules,  horses,  etc.,, 
were  sent  up  or  down  the  Ohio  River,  to  say  nothing  of  aix 


316  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

extensive  slave  traffic  that  had  been  established  with  New 
Orleans  and  other  Lower  Mississippi  towns.  Its  glory  had 

"Gone,  alas!  like  the  many 
That  bloomed  —  " 

and  luxuriated  in  that  sacred  soil  of  neutrality.  As  soon  as 
the  boats  landed ,  a  swarm  of  men  broke  loose  through  the 
town.  Being  Sunday,  the  business  houses  wrere  all  closed, 
of  course,  as  the  law  directs  ;  but,  like  a  great  many  of  our 
alleged  attorneys,  "necessity  knows  no  law  ;"  and  the  pro 
cession  rallied  on  several  stores,  compelled  the  proprietors 
to  sell  them  whatever  they  required,  and  slipped  back  to 
the  boats,  where  General  Willich,  who  was  then  command 
ing  our  brigade,  was  fluttering  around  like  an  old  hen  with 
"a  litter  of  ducks  in  a  pond.  He  made  a  fine  little  speech, 
laying  the  whole  mischief  onto  the  Fifty-First,  and  swear 
ing  he  would  "hang  every  blanked  rascal"  he  could  find, 
as  an  example  to  the  rest.  And  that  was  the  end  of  it.  A 
little  more  restriction  was  placed  upon  the  whole  command 
that  day  ;  but  it  only  lasted  till  we  got  to  Cairo. 

We  re-embarked  soon  after,  and  as  soon  as  pilots  were 
secured  for  all  of  the  boats,  we  proceeded  down  the  Ohio. 
The  scenery  along  the  Ohio  River  below  Paducah  is  not 
nearly  so  beautiful  as  it  is  above.  We  see  only  the  worst 
features  from  this  point  to  its  confluence  with  the  Missis 
sippi.  The  hills  200  to  500  feet  high,  and  covered  with  the 
verdure  of  an  almost  unbroken  forest,  approaching  the 
stream,  and  confining  it  on  either  side,  which  characterize 
this  lovely  river  from  Pittsburg  to  Paducah,  imperceptibly 
fade  away,  and  before  we  reach  the  Mississippi  entirely  dis 
appear. 

The  notes  taken  along  the  route,  were  made  very  hur 
riedly  ;  and  many  thanks  are  due  Mr.  Watson,  the  pilot, 
for  a  great  deal  of  information.  He  was  a  very  intelligent 
and  interesting  gentleman,  and  imparted  a  great  deal  of 
useful  knowledge  to  the  boys,  whom  he  welcomed  kindly  to 
the  wheel-house.  He  was  at  that  time  69  years  of  age,  and 


CAIRO    AND    DOWN    THE    MISSISSIPPI.  317 

had  been  on  the  river  35  or  40  years.  His  home  was  at 
Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri.  He  knew  every  town,  point, 
plantation,  bend,  bar,  eddy,  snag,  or  other  object  of  inter 
est  along  or  in  the  Ohio  or  Mississippi  from  their  sources 
to  the  Gulf,  with  a  vast  amount  of  history  connected  with 
them.  And  notwithstanding  his  wandering  sort  of  life,  he 
had  a  great  fondness  for  home,  and  spoke  very  tenderly  of 
a  sweet  little  granddaughter,  who  sometimes  accompanied 
him  on  his  trips. 

Ten  miles  below  Paducah,  we  passed  Metropolis,  Illi 
nois.  This  was  the  first  sight  of  "God's  country"  that  had 
greeted  our  eyes  for  many  a  weary  month  ;  and  as  we  sped 
past  it,  in  that  soft  June  evening,  there  came  the  painful 
thought  that  perhaps  that  was  the  last  time  that  some  of  us 
would  see  the  setting  of  our  Northern  sun .  How  true  that 
prediction,  let  the  black  clods  of  Texas  testify.  Clearing 
a  gunboat  fleet  lying  at  Mound  City,  32  miles  farther  on, 
the  ponderous  hulks  drifting  like  so  many  monster  turtles, 
we  swept  by  in  the  gathering  gloam,  with  scarcely  a  sign 
of  recognition. 


0 

CAIRO . 


Eight  miles  more  brought  us  to  Cairo,  at  the  junction 
of  the  two  great  streams.  This  place  was  always  subject  to 
inundation,  which  retarded  the  growth  of  the  town.  The 
levee  built  there  to  protect  the  town  from  these  gushings, 
cost  a  million  of  dollars. 

At  Cairo  the  boys  fitted  up  for  the  expedition.  Linen 
coats  and  pants,  straw  hats,  thin  shoes  and  short  hair  were 
the  order  from  this  point  on.  And  we  learned,  as  we  came 
nearer  to  the  Tropic  of  Cancer,  how  sensible  was  this  fore 
thought. 

DOWN    THE    MISSISSIPPI. 

Out  upon  the  broad  swell  of  muddy  water  we  drove, 
as  a  ready  arrow  from  the  hunter's  bow.  We  were  on  the 
Mississippi,  dashing  along  with  no  concern,  save  to  gaze  at 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  shifting  sights  that  like  a  grand  moving  panorama, 
continually  greeted  the  eye,  only  to  pass  out  of  view,  filling 
us  at  once  with  grateful  pleasure  at  each  succession,  and 
regret  at  their  departure.  The  scenery  on  this  river  is  no 
less  varied  below  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  than  above.  True, 
there  is  more  of  the  terrible  seen  in  the  cascades  and  lofty 
rocks  of  the  upper  river ;  but  below  there  is  a  happy  blend 
ing  of  nature  and  art,  an  interesting  struggle  of  essence 
and  circumstance  for  supremacy,  not  observed  above.  We 
can  appreciate  the  old  raftsman's  song, 

"  Down  on  the  Mississippi  river  floating, 
Long  time  I  traveled  on  my  way," 

when  we  learn  that  the  current  is  only  33  miles  per  day. 
One  peculiarity  of  the  Mississippi,  is  its  extremely  winding 
course.  Sometimes  a  bend  of  30  miles  would  occur,  where 
the  distance  across  the  neck  did  not  exceed  a  mile.  This 
circumstance  tended,  no  doubt,  to  check  the  current  and 
greatly  facilitate  navigation.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that 
the  water  from  many  of  the  tributaries  of  this  stream  do 
not  reach  the  Delta  for  more  than  a  month  after  inundation 
above  has  been  abating.  The  floods  below  vary  in  different 
seasons.  Usually  these  occur  between  the  first  of  March 
and  the  first  of  June,  when  they  again  subside.  These  ac 
cretions  had  ended  before  our  journey  began  ;  and  by  the 
time  we  reached  the  Mississippi,  the  river  was  in  splendid 
condition  for  navigation.  The  levees  had  broken  through 
in  many  places,  causing  great  destruction  of  property  and 
loss  of  life.  In  some  places  great  pools  had  been  left,  that 
made  excellent  homes  for  the  numerous  alligators  that  in 
fest  those  Southern  waters. 

Columbus,  Ky.,  is  20  miles  below  Cairo  ;  Hickman,  or 
Mills'  Point,  20  miles  more.  Then  comes  Island  No.  10, 
New  Madrid,  Ft.  Pillow,  Randolph  and  Memphis;  all  of 
which  are  associated  with  some  of  the  most  thrilling  events 
of  the  war,  with  a  dozen  intervening  points,  of  less  inter 
est.  About  10  miles  above  the  last  named  place,  only  two 


ALONG    THE    MISSISSIPPI.  319 

months  previous,  had  occurred  the  horrible  explosion  of 
.the  magnificent  steamer  Sultana,  with  2,200  Union  prison 
ers,  who  had  just  been  released  from  the  various  hells  all 
over  the  South,  in  which  they  had  been  confined  for  differ 
ent  periods,  and  who  were  hurled  into  the  river  at  night, 
without  a  second's  warning  ;  many  to  find  a  watery  grave, 
and  many  being  scalded  to  death  or  otherwise  injured  so 
that  they  died  soon  after.  Hundreds  of  those  noble  boys 
perished  in  that  awful  night,  because  somebody  at  Vicks- 
burg  got  a  percentage  for  every  man  that  was  crowded  on 
board  that  boat. 

The  old  wooden  towns  of  Helena  and  Napoleon  come 
a  little  farther  on.  They  were  made  up  entirely  of  frame 
buildings,  because  of  the  demoralizing  effect  of  inundation 
and  earthquakes  on  brick  or  stone  structures.  The  latter 
is  at  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas  River,  and  just  below  the 
mouth  of  white  River,  which  debouched  by  one  channel 
into  the  Arkansas,  and  by  another  into  the  Mississippi. 
The  Mississippi  had  cut  through  two  years  before,  and  we 
ran  one  mile  in  the  old  bed  of  the  Arkansas. 

We  struck  Vicksburg  at  a  favorable  hour  ;  and  many 
of  the  boys  were  permitted  to  stroll  through  that  part  of 
the  city  overlooking  the  river,  that  side  being  exceedingly 
precipitous.  On  the  hill  fronting  the  landing,  were  fine 
fortifications.  Indeed,  the  whole  place  seemed  a  grand 
original  series  or  combination  of  earthworks.  There,  011 
one  hand,  was  the  parapet  from  which  "Whistling  Dick" 
used  to  pitch  "dinner-pots"  over  among  the  boys,  during 
the  memorable  siege. 

We  then  passed  Warrington,  Palmyra,  Carthage  and 
Bonjurant's.  At  the  latter  place,  while  we  tied  up  a  short 
time  for  wood,  the  boys  had  a  great  deal  of  sport  with  a 
little  darkey,  who  resembled  very  much  in  size,  shape  and 
complexion ,  a  ten-gallon  demijohn.  He  was  a  marvel  in 
the  terpsichorean  art,  unequaled  in  song  and  dance,  and  a 
.prince  of  bulesquity.  Accompanying  him  was  a  juvenile 


320  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT 

of  lighter  tint,  who  varied  the  exercises  by  "patting  juba," 
while  the  black  one  introduced  feats,  such  as  turning  som 
ersaults,  forward  and  backward,  hand-springs  and  jigs  ;  all 
in  perfect  time  with  the  music. 

Natchez,  734  miles  below  Cairo,  is  the  prettiest  city  on 
the  Mississippi.  Situated  on  a  bluff  200  feet  above  the 
river,  it  affords  an  extensive  view  up  and  down  the  stream, 
and  away  off  to  the  cypress  swamps  of  Louisiana.  It  has 
wide,  rectangular  streets,  beautiful  flower  gardens  and  lux 
uriant  orange  groves.  Here  we  saw  corn  in  the  middle  of 
June,  with  beautiful  white  tops  waving  in  the  soft  wind, 
sugar  cane,  fig  trees,  rice  fields,  in  an  advanced  condition, 
and  feasted  our  senses  of  sight  and  scent  on  the  extensive 
gardens  filled  with  beautiful  trees  and  rarest  foliage  and 
most  delicate  bloom. 

THE    CURSE    OF    THE    SOUTH. 

At  all  the  plantations  on  either  shore,  little  darkies- 
seemed  ubiquitous  ;  decorating  every  projecting  tree-stump 
like  so  many  turtles,  sunning  themselves,  and  disappearing 
as  nimbly,  to  reappear  as  suddenly  as  young  toads  dropped 
from  the  clouds.  They  were  not  all  black  by  any  means  ; 
many  of  them  being  as  fair-skinned  as  our  own  brothers  or 
sisters.  We  talked  with  some  of  these,  who,  with  their 
mother,  were  huddled  in  a  group  near  the  landing.  Their 
father  had  been  reared  in  New  Orleans.  He  wras  a  white 
man,  who  had  often  comforted  his  innocent  victim  with  the 
promise  that  she  and  her  children  should  after  while  be 
sent  North  to  freedom.  But  when  the  war  broke  out,  he 
entered  the  rebel  army,  and  forgot  her  ;  leaving  her  to  the 
direction  and  control  of  a  brutal  planter,  who  without  the 
fear  of  God  or  regard  for  man,  stained  his  own  soul  with 
the  same  crime  of  her  former  owner,  and  perjured  himself 
with  the  same  lying  promises  of  freedom.  She  was  subse 
quently  sent  to  work  in  the  cotton-field,  while  her  children 
were  used  as  waiters.  They  had  been  told  that  the  rebels- 


BATON  ROUGE  AND  NEW  ORLEANS.  321 

had  surrendered,  and  that  they  were  free  ;  and  the  mother, 
still  a  handsome  mulatto,  bade  her  children  hope  for  the 
promised  deliverance. 

Passing  the  mouth  of  Red  River,  161  miles  above  New 
Orleans,  we  made  no  halt  till  we  came  to  Baton  Rouge,  the 
capital  of  Louisiana.  It  was  a  pretty  little  city,  filled  with 
trees,  and  composed  principally  of  small  houses.  This  city 
derived  its  name  from  a  majestic  cypress  that  stood  there 
in  the  early  days  of  its  settlement,  and  grew  to  an  immense 
hight,  perfectly  straight,  and  branchless  save  at  the  very 
top.  One  of  the  visitors,  a  French  gentleman,  playfully 
referring  to  it,  said  "le  baton  rouge!"  (which  is  French  for 
"the  red  cane,")  and  this  name  was  at  once  applied  to  the 
locality . 

Below  Baton  Rouge  the  broad  deep  river  swept  through 
a  plain  occupied  by  luxuriant  plantations  of  sugar  cane, 
and  adorned  by  splendid  villas  and  gardens  and  groves  of 
tropical  fruit  trees.  As  night  approached,  the  sky  became 
wonderfully  clear,  and  in  the  distance  rose  gauzy  cloudlets. 
Upon  this  soft  background  trees  and  foliage  lay  penciled  in 
marvelous  clearness.  The  brown  water  of  the  grand  old 
river  was  broken  into  multitudes  of  little  restless  waves,  be 
gemmed  with  gleams  of  moonlight ;  and  as  we  sat  out  there 
in  the  silent  night,  there  was  not  a  sound 

uTo  break  the  calm  of  nature; 
Nor  motion,  I  might  almost  say, 

Of  life  or  living  creature," 

save  occasionally  the  dismal  hoot  of  an  owl  nestling  among 
the  shaggy  locks  of  some  old  Spanish-moss-covered  cotton- 
wood.  The  rest  of  the  trip  was  uneventful,  save  that  the 
mosquitoes  increased  in  numbers,  noise  and  mordacity. 

AT    NEW  ORLEANS. 

At  last  we  hailed  the  Crescent  City,  lined  with  a  forest 
of  masts,  from  oyster  sloops  to  mammoth  merchant  ships 
and  men-of-war.  We  landed  at  New  Orleans,  June  25,  '65, 

and  bidding  our  friends  and   comfortable  quarters  on  the 
21 


322  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

steamboat  good-by,  fell  into  line  on  the  broad  wharf,  and 
moved  out  south  of  the  city,  to  the  same  ground  on  which 
General  Andrew  Jackson  whipped  the  haughty  Britisher, 
Packenham,  on  Sunday,  January  8,  1815.  As  quickly  as 
possible,  a  strong  guard  was  thrown  around  the  camp,  and 
every  one  was  set  to  work  putting  up  quarters.  An  addi 
tional  detail  was  also  made  for  patrol  service,  whose  duties 
were  to  prevent  the  soldiers  from  going  into  the  city,  and 
to  arrest  all  of  them  found  there  without  a  pass  ;  yet  hun 
dreds  found  their  way  there,  possibly  a  few  of  them  being 
members  of  the  Fifty-First,  Avho  never  ceased  to  regret  the 
experiences  of  drunkenness  and  debauchery  in  the  dens  of 
that  Sodom,  into  which  they  were  enticed. 

Some  of  us  visited  the  famous  markets  ;  and  as  we 
meandered  through  the  incongruous  collection  of  French, 
Spanish,  Sicilian  and  other  foreign  merchants,  our  ears 
were  assailed  by  such  a  gabbling  arid  chewing  and  grinding 
of  languages  as  has  probably  not  occurred  since  the  fall  of 
2247  B.C.  One  comrade  said  he  had  never  before  heard 
so  many  different  tunes  on  the  jawbone  at  once. 

Among  other  things  we  saw,  and  one  that  seemed  very 
strangely  out  of  place,  was  the  statue  of  Henry  Clay,  on 
the  pedestal  of  which  were  the  burning  words  of  that  great 
statesman,  in  which  he  deemed  the  honor  of  the  abolition 
of  slavery  the  proudest  earth  could  bestow.  The  exact  lan 
guage  is  not  distinctly  remembered.  What  would  he  have 
been,  had  he  lived  in  the  dark  hour  from  which  we  were 
just  emerging?  He  might  have  shared  with  Abraham  Lin 
coln  the  proud  honor  of  being  the  deliverer  of  four  millions 
of  people  from  the  most  brutal  bondage  that  ever  afflicted 
mankind. 

New  Orleans  had  several  fine  canals  and  bayous,  on 
which  many  small  boats,  for  pleasure  or  traffic,  were  con 
stantly  plying.  These  were  delightful  places  for  bathing, 
and  thousands  of  the  soldiers  were  accorded  such  privilege. 
Many  visited  the  cemeteries,  which  were  unique  and  beau- 


FOURTH    OF    JULY.  323 

tiful.  They  were  usually  clothed  with  magnolias,  cypresses 
and  willows  and  a  great  variety  of  tropical  flowers  and  fo 
liage  plants.  Owing  to  the  wet  nature  of  the  soil,  bodies 
were  not  lowered  into  graves,  but  were  placed  in  cell  tombs 
built  above  ground,  large  enough  to  admit  a  coffin  ;  rising 
often  one  above  another  to  a  hight  of  8  or  10  feet.  These 
were  sealed  with  great  care  ;  some  being  very  costly,  but 
most  of  them  plain  and  modest.  Formerly  they  observed 
All  Saints'  and  All  Souls'  days,  at  which  times  the  graves 
were  elaborately  decorated  with  flowers  and  garlands  ;  but 
in  later  years  that  custom  yielded  to  the  even  more  hea 
thenish  observance  of  Mardi  Gras. 

FOURTH    OF    JULY. 

We  celebrated  the  4th  of  July  in  a  very  quiet  manner. 
Regimental  headquarters  purchased  a  new  tub,  of  the  reg 
ulation  washday  size,  and  a  huge  chunk  of  manufactured 
ice  —  the  first  artificial  ice  we  had  ever  seen  —  a  quantity 
of  lemons  and  a  few  other  things  to  improve  the  flavor ; 
and  treated  the  entire  regiment  to  lemonade.  Several 'of 
us  went  into  the  city  in  the  afternoon  ;  and  after  partaking 
of  a- French  dinner,  we  entered  the  train  for  Lake  Pont- 
chartrain.  This  road  was  about  9  miles  long,  the  coaches 
being  a  little  larger  than  ordinary  street-cars.  The  route 
was  one  continuous  stretch  of  swamp,  said  to  be  filled  with 
hideous  alligators.  We  soon  accomplished  the  9  miles,  got 
some  ice-cream  at  a  little  refectory,  built  out  over  the  mar 
gin  of  the  lake,  and  took  an  observation  of  the  surround 
ing  scenery,  which  for  waterscape  was  magnificent ;  then 
we  found  an  agreeable  place  for  bathing.  Entering  the 
little  booths,  we  were  not  long  in  divesting  ourselves  of  our 
toggery  ;  and  soon  we  were  immersed  beneath  the  delicious 
briny  liquid.  To  float  upon  this  lake,  and  to  revel  in  its 
delightful  depths,  had  been  one  of  the  happiest  dreams  of 
boyhood.  How  we  hugged  that  blessed  lake  —  or  tried  to, 
and  wanted  to  take  it  along,  that  we  might  lave  in  its  re- 


324  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT 

freshing  depths  every  day.  Plunging  about,  we  buffeted 
the  little  soft  waves  that,  like  wine,  seemed  to  impart  new 
life  and  energy  ;  diving  and  floating  and  frolicking  to  the 
complete  fullness  of  our  capacity.  Then  we  sped  back  to 
the  city,  feeling  a  sense  of  relief — at  least  from  lots  of  dirt. 

New  Orleans  was  scrupulously  clean  at  that  time,  and 
the  citizens  treated  us  with  marked  civility  ;  both  being  the 
results  of  General  Butler's  administration  there.  They  had 
been  humiliated.  Formerly  they  had  enjoyed  unbounded 
prosperity  ;  their  population  had  increased  phenomenally  ; 
and  all  went  well,  till,  bent  on  secession,  they  went  to  work 
against  every  interest.  They  had  " sowed  to  the  wind,  and 
reaped  the  whirlwind."  These  traitors  sneered  at  our  boys 
who  read  the  Scriptures,  and  affected  contempt  for  those 
"puling  psalm-singers  and  canting  Puritans  who  had  wan 
dered  from  Plymouth  Rock  down  to  the  sunny  fields  of  the 
South  ;"  but  they  were  now  eating  bread  bountifully  pro 
vided  for  them  by  the  fathers  and  brothers  of  those  they 
helped  to  starve  in  Andersonville  and  Salisbury  and  Libby. 
Yes,  the  religion  which  supported  the  mass  of  the  Union 
army,  was  all  that  saved  those  sneering  fire-eaters  of  the 
South  from  the  merited  halter  and  universal  extinction. 
Thousands  of  men  stood  ready,  whenever  the  word  should 
be  given,  to  desolate  the  entire  territory  south  of  Mason 
and  Dixon's  line.  But  love,  the  essence  of  the  supreme 
authority  to  which  they  yielded  obedience,  was  over  all; 
and  its  gentle  influences,  though  spent  in  vain  upon  many, 
have  held  sway  over  the  hearts  of  the  men  and  women  who 
saved  the  Nation ,  and  guided  their  words  and  actions  in 
the  great  work  of  reconstruction . 

About  the  time  of  our  arrival  at  New  Orleans,  General 
Phil.  Sheridan  was  appointed  military  commander  of  the 
Division  of  the  Gulf,  embracing  the  departments  of  Florida, 
Mississippi,  Louisiana  and  Texas.  KirLy  Smith's  rebel 
army  was  still  in  Texas,  although  he  had  agreed  to  surren 
der  ;  and  defying  the  United  States  Government,  was  com- 


HO  !    FOR    TEXAS.  325 

mitting  depredations  of  every  kind,  and  creating  a  panic 
wherever  any  considerable  part  of  it  appeared.  When  the 
rebel  commander  learned  that  Sheridan  with  a  large  force 
was  certainly  ordered  to  Texas,  to  bring  him  to  terms,  and 
finding  also  that  his  army  was  rapidly  deserting  him,  he 
sent  three  of  his  prominent  generals  to  surrender  his  entire 
force  to  General  Canby,  at  New  Orleans  ;  and  subsequently 
he  ratified  the  surrender  with  his  own  signature  at  Galves- 
ton.  He  proved  a  very  treacherous  scoundrel,  however,  in 
the  very  last  wriggle  of  his  official  authority  ;  showing  bad 
faith  in  disbanding  his  army,  and  permitting  an  indiscrim 
inate  plunder  of  public  property.  He  and  Magruder  made 
their  escape  to  Mexico.  As  his  disbanded  rebel  horde  still 
continued  to  devastate  the  country  east  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
the  4th  Corps  was  hastened  to  that  part  of  Texas  ;  and  it 
was  soon  on  its  way  thither,  with  Gen.  D.  S.  Stanley  in 
command.  General  Wood  was  again  in  command  of  his 
old  division,  and  General  August  Willich  commanded  our 
brigade. 

BOUND    FOR    TEXAS. 

Wednesday,  July  5,  '65,  quite  early  in  the  morning,  we 
struck  tents  and  marched  to  the  landing,  where  we  loaded 
our  stuff  on  the  steamship  "Cumbria,"  and  embarked  for 
Texas.  Soon  we  were  all  aboard;  and  then  the  national 
colors  were  run  up  to  the  topmast  amid  the  cheers  of  the 
crowd  and  the  rattle  of  small  arms.  The  engines  groaned, 
and  the  steampipes  wheezed,  the  ponderous  screw  that  pro 
pelled  the  ship,  creaked  ;  and  like  a  meteor  we  dissolved 
from  the  view  of  the  Crescent  citizens.  Down  the  Delta 
we  glided,  past  oyster-boats  and  vessels  of  all  descriptions, 
out  onto  the  "waste  of  waters."  Yes,  literally  a  waste  ;  for 
nobody  cared  to  save  any  of  it ;  though  there  were  numer 
ous  red-hot  propositions  to  dam  it.  The  prow  of  our  ship 
sent  the  feathery  spray  dancing  over  the  crests  of  the  great 
waves ,  as  they  rolled  away ,  and  were  mingled  with  the  hor 
izon.  In  many  respects  the  ocean  is  very  beautiful.  We 


326  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

had  read  about  how  the  spray  like  restless  spirits  floated 
across  the  briny  peaks,  as  they  dashed  high  against  the 
dark  ledges  along  the  shore,  and  climbed  in  innocent  fury 
above  the  rocky  headland  ;  awhile  the  surf  chafed  around 
the  reef,  and  the  howling  gale  slit  into  infinitessimal  Strips 
the  proud  sails  whose  corpulent  bulge  once  lent  majesty  to 
the  noble  craft  —  how  the  hearts  of  the  beholders  leapt  into 
their  mouths,  and  their  hands  and  voices  went  up  in  ecstasy 
over  the  glorious  ''life  on  the  ocean  wave  ;"  and  our  hearts 
were  all  thrilled  with  expectation,  only  to  be  disappointed. 

"One  Moves' — how  he  loves! — '  the  glittering  foam,' 

And  'the  mad  wave's  angry  strife; ' 
Just  take  that  young  genius  who  wrote  the  '  pome,' 
Where  the  '  billows  dash,  and  the  sea-birds  roam  ; ' 
And  he'd  give  all  he  had  to  be  safely  at  home. 

He'd  stay  there  the  rest  of  his  life." 

It  was  the  hardest  trip  we  had  made  during  the  entire  war. 
Four  awful  days  we  bobbed  about  on  the  "salt  sea  foam/' 
with  little  beside  a  wide  expanse  of  water  to  look  at ;  and 
nothing  to  drink  but  nasty  lukewarm  water,  if  we  may  ex 
cept  a  few  pailfuls  of  slop,  called  coffee,  made  from  the  hot 
water  pipe  of  the  engine.  The  officers  were,  however,  sup 
plied,  at  a  high  price,  with  a  few  gallons  of  "ice  water/' 
made  also  of  the  same  stagnant  liquid. 

OUT    ON    THE    GULF. 

Thousands  of  gulls  flew  around  our  vessel,  or  followed 
constantly  in  her  track.  The  second  day  we  encountered 
a  school  of  porpoises,  that  bobbed  and  tumbled  through 
the  water  like  so  many  empty  barrels.  Sometimes  they 
would  jump  several  feet  in  the  air,  and  drop  into  the  water 
with  a  splash  that  could  be  heard  a  mile  away. 

Some  of  our  boys  were  injudicious  enough  to  take  with 
them  a  lot  of  cakes,  pies  and  fruit,  to  eat  on  the  gulf;  and 
others  had  liquor  to  protect  them  from  sea-sickness.  They 
were  rewarded  with  a  lovely  combination  of  results. 

As  we  passed  Galveston  —  about  four  miles  off,   on  the 


A    GALE    OFF    GALVESTON.  327 

second  night,  we  encountered  a  gale.  The  sailors  antici 
pated  it ;  and  everything  was  clewed  down  tight,  and  all 
hands  were  set  to  work  to  clear  the  decks.  All  the  soldiers 
were  sent  below,  and  guards  were  placed  at  the  hatchways 
to  keep  them  there.  Then  the  word  was  given  to  the  sail 
ors,  "Heave-yo-o  I"  and  down  went  two  ponderous  anchors 
to  the  bottom  of  the  gulf,  with  a  terrible  rattling  of  chains  ; 
and  the  vessel  came  to  a  halt,  with  a  sudden  jerk  that  min 
gled  "red  spirits  and  grey"  in  a  babel  of  confusion.  At 
the  same  moment  the  storm  struck  her  ;  and  she  groaned 
and  creaked  and  heaved  and  tossed  under  the  awful  trial. 
Dishes  and  camp-kettles  danced  a  Virginia  reel  all  over  the 
decks  ;  while  the  more  delicate  comrades  yielded  up  the 
contents  of  their  stomachs  with  wonderful  alacrity. 

The  master  of  the  propeller  paced  the  decks  the  whole 
night  long,  his  face  blanched  with  a  dread  he  dared  not 
communicate.  He  explained  his  restless  manner  next  day, 
by  telling  us  that  at  that  point  the  bottom  of  the  gulf  was 
solid  rock,  and  that  we  had  been  drifting  all  night  toward 
breakers,  on  which,  had  we  reached  them,  the  ship  would 
have  been  dashed  to  pieces  in  a  little  while,  and  we  would 
all  have  gone  to  the  bottom.  Ignorant  of  our  great  peril, 
the  writer,  by  an  excuse,  was  permitted  to  go  to  the  upper 
•deck  ;  and  crawling  out  the  railing  on  the  forecastle,  to  the 
mast,  he  drew  himself  up  by  the  great  ropes,  and  stood 
therein  the  starlight,  and  drank  in  the  indescribable  love 
liness  and  grandeur  of  the  scene.  We  were  so  near  the 
city  of  Galveston,  that  the  street-lamps  were  plainly  dis 
cerned.  Tossing  like  a  huge  cork  on  the  boiling  waves, 
whose  crests  glistened  like  ridges  of  diamonds  in  the  mild 
light  of  the  stars  ;  one  moment  the  vessel  pointed  toward 
the  heavens, —  the  next  as  though  she  would  plunge  with 
her  precious  cargo  of  humanity  headlong  to  the  bottom  of 
the  gulf.  But  the  crowded  mass  of  soldiers  shut  up  below, 
in  the  dark,  hot,  noisome  midship,  tumbled  about  in  agony 
that  was  pitiable. 


328  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Arriving  at  the  southwestern  point  of  Matagorda  Bay, 
at  the  Pass  Cavallo,  we  came  to  land  in  the  afternoon  of 
July  9,  '65.  While  awaiting  orders  outside  the  harbor, 
many  of  the  boys  took  advantage  of  the  occasion,  to  bathe 
in  the  gulf ;  and  it  was  fine  sport  for  them ,  as  well  as  excit 
ing  entertainment  for  the  spectators,  to  clamber  out  to  the 
point  of  the  bowsprit  of  the  vessel,  and  plunge  away  down 
into  the  blue  depths  below.  Then  they  would  return  to  the 
deck  by  the  ladders  on  the  ship's  side.  The  more  timid 
ones  contented  themselves  with  swinging  off  on  a  rope's 
end.  The  water  being  entirely  too  shallow  for  our  ship  to 
enter  the  bay,  we  were  transferred  to  "lighters"  on  which 
we  steamed  up  to  Indianola  ;  where  debarking,  the  boys  at 
once  prepared  coffee,  and  had  a  feast. 

We  were  now  in  the  Central  District  of  the  Depart 
ment  of  Texas,  with  headquarters  at  Galveston  ;  and  thus 
continued,  with  district  headquarters  afterward  at  San  An 
tonio,  until  final  muster-out  at  San  Antonio  ;  and  were  not 
again  identified  with  the  Department  of  the  Cumberland. 


THE     LONE    STAR    STATE.  329 


TEXAS. 

Robert  Chevalier,  Sieur  de  la  Salle,  led  the  first  Euro 
pean  immigrants  to  Texas,  landing  on  February  18,  1685, 
near  the  same  spot  on  which  our  patriotic  little  army  first 
touched.  He  had  discovered  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi, 
three  years  before,  and  returning  from  France  to  make  a 
permanent  settlement,  erred  in  his  calculations,  and  came 
to  shore  on  the  Texas  coast.  After  two  efforts  to  reach  the 
Mississippi  overland,  in  which  his  men  suffered  greatly, 
and  which  failed,  La  Salle,  as  Americans  call  him,  started 
northward,  to  open  communication  with  Canada.  Trouble 
arising  between  some  of  his  men,  in  the  distribution  of  a 
quantity  of  grain  ;  through  the  conspiring  of  one  Duhaut, 
several  of  them  were  murdered.  Then,  fearing  the  anger 
of  La  Salle,  they  ambushed  him,  and  shot  him  through 
the  head  ;  from  wrhich  he  expired  in  an  hour. 

Frequent  storms  occur  along  the  gulf  coast,  in  which 
the  briny  water  sweeps  over  the  adjacent  low  lands,  filling 
cellars  and  wells,  and  ofttimes  creating  a  water  panic  that 
is  very  distressful.  In  consequence  of  this,  water  has  to  be 
hauled  a  long  distance,  and  is  sold  at  a  high  price.  Odd 
as  it  may  seem,  many  of  these  people  are  delighted  at  such 
visitations.  But  this  is  easily  understood  ;  for  when  water 
is  a  dollar  a  gallon,  and  whisky  is  the  same  price,  it  does 
not  pay  to  adulterate. 

That  part  of  Texas  which  the  4th  Corps  traversed,  be 
tween  Matagorda  Bay  and  San  Antonio,  and  on  either  side 
of  a  line  drawn  south  from  Austin,  is  almost  entirely  black 


330  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

prairie.  The  rivers  that  course  through  it  are  pretty  regu 
lar  in  their  flow,  having  their  origin  in  large  springs  that 
are  situated  along  the  heavy  slopes  in  the  western  part  of 
the  State,  and  extending  from  Austin  southward.  Those 
with  which  our  six  months'  experience  in  Texas  were  prin 
cipally  connected,  were  the  Guadaloupe  and  San  Antonio. 
The  latter  is  the  western  branch  of  the  former,  and  empties 
into  it  10  or  15  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Guadaloupe, 
which  in  turn  empties  into  the  Espiritu  Santo  Bay.  Green 
Lake  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  San  Antonio  River, 
on  the  line  between  the  counties  (or  parishes)  of  Calhoun 
and  Refugio,  and  is  the  chief  watering-place  lor  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  cattle,  that  herd  about  its  border. 

THIRSTING    TO    DEATH. 

Scarcely  had  the  boys  got  their  coffee  drunk,  before  we 
were  ordered  into  line  ;  and  we  moved  out  for  Green  Lake , 
distant  18  or  20  miles,  but  which,  through  the  stupidity  of 
a  drunken  guide,  was  extended  to  32.  To  describe  that 
march,  would  beggar  the  English  language.  About  eight 
miles  from  the  town  of  Indianola,  we  came  to  a  cow  pond, 
which  was  very  muddy,  on  account  of  hundreds  of  cattle 
having  waded  through  it  just  before  we  came  to  it.  Most 
of  the  boys  filled  their  canteens  with  this  water,  however; 
for  they  had  learned  by  the  hardest  kind  of  experience,  to 
take  anything,  till  they  could  get  something  better.  That 
was  the  first  opportunity  to  get  wa.ter,  after  leaving  Indi 
anola  ;  and  indications  were  good  that  it  might  be  the  last. 
Three  miles  further  on,  we  came  to  another  hole,  or  series  of 
holes  ;  for  they  seemed  more  like  big  cow-tracks,  filled  from 
a  summer  shower.  The  water  here  was  filthier,  if  possible, 
than  the  first ;  yet  those  who  had  failed  getting  water  be 
fore,  did  not  slight  it,  but  filled  their  canteens  and  little 
coffee-buckets  with  the  vile  stuff.  From  there  on,  we  had 
not  another  drop  of  water  of  any  kind  until  we  reached  the 
lake.  Besides  this,  our  progress  was  greatly  impeded  by 


DYING    FOR    WATER.  331 

the  fact  that  we  had  our  "sea-legs"  on  yet,  and  the  ground 
seemed  to  roll  just  as  the  ship  had  ;  the  strange  deception 
causing  many  to  i'all ;  also  making  the  distance  seem  twice 
as  great  as  it  really  was. 

It  was  hot  enough  "to  roast  a  nigger"  when  we  started 
on  this  march,  and  coats  were  a  serious  incumbrance  ;  but 
we  began  soon  after  nightfall  to  realize  the  sudden  change 
of  temperature  peculiar  to  that  beautiful  clime.  The  mer 
cury  in  the  thermometer  slipped  suddenly  down  to  zero, 
and  remained  there  till  near  midnight.  The  stupor  pro 
duced  by  the  sudden  chill,  added  to  the  fatigue  so  greatly 
aggravated  by  the  bobbing  motion  acquired  on  the  vessel  r 
rendered  locomotion  almost  impossible.  The  soldiers  could 
not  be  urged  forward,  and  they  dropped  out  by  dozens  and 
scores  ;  until  on  the  approach  of  day,  it  was  discovered  that 
not  more  than  half  of  our  brigade  had  pulled  through.  A 
number  of  them  were  afterward  found  as  far  back  as  15 
miles  from  camp.  By  7  o'clock  in  the  morning,  nearly  all 
who  had  kept  anywhere  near  up,  had  reached  the  lake,  and 
after  a  cup  of  strong  coffee ,  were  snoozing  soundly  beneath 
the  broad  shade  of  the  shaggy  live  oaks  that  fringed  the 
lagoon.  But  the  poor  fellows  who,  like  the  five  foolish  vir 
gins,  had  "slumbered  and  slept,"  awoke  to  find  that,  like 
those  same  virgins,  their  vessels  were  empty. 

Between  the  hours  of  7  and  9  in  the  morning,  there  is 
a  cessation  of  motion  in  the  air  ;  which  on  that  morning 
was  intensified  by  the  intolerable  heat  of  the  sun,  that  was 
pouring  down  a  flood  of  incandescent  fury.  One  unaccus 
tomed  to  this,  cannot  endure  away  from  the  shade  scarcely 
an  hour.  A  great  many  soldiers  of  other  commands,  as 
well  as  many  from  our  own,  were  sunstruck  at  this  season, 
during  the  war.  A  few  of  the  unfortunate  boys,  after  long 
search,  managed  to  find,  some  distance  off  of  the  road,  a 
pool  of  thick,  stagnant  water,  that  tasted  like  nectar  to  the 
parched  throats;  but  most  of  them  had  none,  and  none 
could  be  gotten  within  8  or  10  miles  either  way.  When 


332  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

they  were  found  by  the  details  sent  back  after  them,  scores 
lay  with  their  tongues  out  and  terribly  swollen  ;  others  were 
trying  to  lick  the  dew  off  of  the  grass.  Many  had  wan 
dered  away  from  the  road  in  search  of  water,  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  they  were  found  ;  as  they  were  too  far 
gone  to  give  any  signal  of  distress  that  might  lead  to  their 
discovery.  Men,  loaded  with  canteens  filled  at  the  lake, 
were  dispatched  on  horseback  in  every  direction  ;  yet,  it  is 
possible  that  some  may  not  have  been  found,  and  died  in 
horrible  agony.  Who  can  describe  the  feelings  of  those 
who  were  relieved,  as  the  brave  fellows  saw  life  —  most  wel 
come,  blessed  life,  coming  to  them  —  showers,  canteens  of 
life  !  Finally,  all  who  could  be  found,  were  brought  in. 

GREEN    LAKE. 

In  a  few  days  we  had  recovered  in  a  manner  our  usual 
strength  and  spirits  ;  and  having  nothing  else  to  do,  we 
made  a  special  requisition  for  ammunition,  and  amused 
ourselves  shooting  alligators  ;  varying  this  pastime  with 
gathering  grapes  and  pecans,  which  were  quite  abundant 
and  of  enormous  size,  and  the  usual  routine  of  camp  life. 
The  war  being  over,  we  paid  little  attention  to  guns  or  any 
other  part  of  our  hostile  apparatus,  save  as  already  indica 
ted,  and  to  despatch  a  "slow  deer,"  when  our  supply  of 
meat  ran  short.  They  were  called  "slow,"  probably,  be 
cause  of  their  dilatoriness  in  getting  out  of  our  way,  and 
keeping  up  with  the  rest  of  the  cattle. 

Our  reports  of  "able  for  duty"  men  were  so  meager, 
that  there  were  hardly  enough  to  make  a  respectable  detail 
for  anything.  Most  of  the  boys  grumbled  so,  that  the  or 
derlies  were  almost  afraid  to  detail  them  for  duty  at  all.  It 
came  so  frequently,  that  they  each  declared  not  more  than 
half  of  the  other  boys  had  been  on  since  they  were.  Then 
the  orderly  got  a  blessing  ;  and  he  laid  it  onto  the  sergeant- 
major.  As  there  was  nobody  else  to  pass  it  on  to,  the  latter 
had  to  bear  the  burden  that  might  be  shirked  by  every  or- 


AT    GREEN    LAKE. 

derly  in  the  regiment.     But  his   heart  was   large,  and  his 
shoulders  very  broad. 

The  days  continued  scorching  hot,  and  everything  in 
nature  was  wrinkled  or  blistered  or  reduced  to  dust  by  the 
piercing  rays  of  the  vertical  sun.     But  the  oppressiveness 
of  the  day  enhanced  the  delightfulness  of  the  night.     And, 
while  at  sunset  the  sky  seemed  like  a  huge  oven,  in  which 
the  earth   was  a  mammoth  roast,   flanked  by  its  majestic 
forests  and  towering  mountains,  and  all  humanity  felt  like 
the  dried   anatomy  of  what  it  started  out  in  the  morning ; 
we  were  renewed   and  revigorated  by  the.  pleasant  breeze 
and  the   peculiar  soothiness  of  the   night   air.     True,  this 
succession  of  changes  of  temperature  was  severe  on   those 
who  were  subjected  to  extremes  of  both  ;  but  those  who  sat 
in  the  live-oak  shade  all  day,  could  philosophize,  in  spite 
of  the  common  misfortune.     Listen  to  one  of  them  : 
"  Day  is  done  brown,  and  set  away  to  cool ; 
And  evening,  like  a  salad  fresh  and  moist, 
And  peppered  with  her  master's  stars,  comes  on  : 
The  moon,  like  a  large  cheese  cut  just  in  half, 
Hangs  o'er  the  landscape  most  invitingly  ;  , 

The  milky  way  reveals  her  silver  stream 
'  Mid  the  blanc-mange-like  clouds  that  fleck  the  sky  ; 
The  cattle  dun,  sleeping  in  pastures  brown, 
Show  like  huge  dough-nuts  'mid  the  deep'ning  gloom. 
How  like  a  silver  salver  shines  the  lake! 
While  mimic  clouds  upon  its  surface  move, 
Like  floating  islands  in  a  crystal  bowl ; 
The  dews  come  down  to  wash  the  curled-up  leaves, 
And  night-winds  follow  them,  to  wipe  them  dry. 

On  such  an  eve  as  this  'tis  sweet  to  sit 
And  thus  commune  with  Nature,  as  she  brings 
Familiar  symbols  to  the  thoughtful  breast 
And  spreads  her  feast  of  meditative  cheer. 
Day -with  its  broils  and  fiery  feuds  is  o'er; 
Its  jars  discordant  and  its  seething  strifes; 
And  all  its  boiling  passions  hushed  to  peace; 
Old  Earth,  hung  on  her  hook  before  the  sun, 
Turns  her  huge  sides  alternate  to  his  rays, 
Basted  by  rains  and  dews,  and  cooks  away, 
And  so  will  cook,  till  she  is  done  — and  burnt" 


334  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Green  Lake  was  girdled  by  a  beautiful  green  border  of 
live-oak  trees,  whose  branches  hung  quite  low,  and  spread 
out  to  a  distance  of  30  or  40  feet  on  each  side  ;  furnishing 
a  most  umbrageous  shelter  from  the  broiling  sun.  These 
trees  were  covered  with  vines,  which  produced  grapes  of 
marvelous  size  and  abundance,  and  of  delicious  flavor.  Of 
these  grapes  we  made  a  fine  wine,  splendid  pies  and  cob 
blers,  and  a  variety  of  other  very  palatable  dishes. 

Some  of  the  trees  hung  thickly  with  Spanish  moss, 
which  we  made  to  serve  in  lieu  of  straw  for  our  beds.  This 
moss  is  a  parasite  plant,  found  growing  in  vast  profusion, 
clinging  to  many  of  the  trees  in  Southern  forests.  When 
exposed  to  the  process  of  " curing,"  as  variously  practiced, 
the  outer  bark  or  covering  is  decomposed,  and  an  almost 
indestructible  black  fiber  is  disclosed,  which  closely  resem 
bles  the  article  of  commerce  known  as  "curled  hair;"  and 
for  all  purposes  to  which  the  latter  is  applied,  is  equal  to  it, 
with  the  advantage  of  being  vastly  cheaper. 

Eagles'  nests  were  frequently  found  among  the  tops  of 
these  tree£  ;  but  they  were  never  disturbed . 

The  atmosphere  of  Southern  Texas  is  very  thin  and 
elastic,  and  so  transparent,  that  every  star  and  planet  in 
the  heavens  appears  boldly  defined  ;  the  beholder  seems  to 
see  around  and  behind  them .  And  there  are  constellations 
quite  unknown  to  Northern  skies  ;  while  the  "milky  way," 
instead  of  making  a  nebulous,  almost  unperceived  light, 
absolutely  flames  through  eternal  space.  Yet  people  arc 
very  foolish  to  seek  there  the  famed  "fountain  of  youth." 
Among  the  saddest  chapters  of  suffering,  are  those  of  con 
firmed  invalids  going  from  the  North,  seeking  health  in 
"the  balmy  air  of  tropical  cities."  It  is  a  delusion  ;  and, 
if  they  survive  it,  they  won't  do  it  the  second  time. 

Pleasure-seekers  should  not  be  deceived  by  illuminated 
pictures  of  this  lovely  Southwestern  Texas  ;  for,  although 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  passed,  with  its  won 
derful  changes,  no  change  is  found  there.  The  same  tales 


ON    TO    VICTORIA.  335 

of  bloodthirsty  transactions,  the  same  lawless  disregard  for 
human  life  or  any  of  the  rights  guaranteed  by  civilization, 
come  to  our  ears  from  that  God-forsaken  region  ;  the  same 
vile  language,  the  same  filthy  habits,  the  same  moral  and 
intellectual  obscuration  are  perpetuated.  Accustomed  to 
the  careful  housekeeping  and  domestic  arrangments  of  the 
Northern  home,  the  tourist  finds  himself  or  herself  sud 
denly  deprived  of  even  a  comfortable  retiring  room,  and 
without  the  necessary  convenience  of  even  a  bed  to  lie  on. 
Every  dish,  unless  imperatively  ordered  otherwise,  reeks 
with  red  pepper,  onions  or  garlic  ;  the  language  and  habits 
of  the  people  are  strange  and  repulsive,  and  the  climate  en 
ervating  and  exhausting  to  the  most  vigorous  constitution . 
The  natives  in  that  part  of  the  State  did  not  stable 
their  horses  nor  pen  their  cattle.  Every  spring,  (or  once 
a  year,)  they  would  brand  the  new  crop,  and  let  them  run  ; 
then,  when  they  wanted  an  animal,  they  would  send  or  go 
out  and  get  one  bearing  their  brand .  Little  boys  of  8  or 
10  years  would  lasso  a  horse  or  a  cow,  as  easily  as  our  boys 
would  jerk  a  pebble  across  the  street.  It's  born  in  them. 

VICTORIA. 

Leaving  Green  Lake,  about  Monday,  August  28,  we 
proceeded  to  Victoria,  the  seat  of  Victoria  county.  Upon 
the  beaten  dirt  road  were  teamsters  with  their  merchandise 
packed  in  long  white-covered  ox-wagons,  hauling  freight  to 
and  from  the  gulf;  half-breeds  on  Mexican  ponies,  bobbing 
along  under  their  broad  brown  sombreros,  nodding  to  us  as 
we  passed,  with  a  half-articulate  "How,  senor?"  looking 
more  like  murdering  us,  than  having  a  Christian  regard 
for  our  welfare. 

There  was  very  little  of  vegetable  product  there,  save 
the  bur-grass,  on  which  the  cattle  feed.  The  bur  on  the 
grass  was  about  the  size  of  beet  seed,  and  in  shape  reminded 
one  of  a  jiinson  bur,  with  prickles  so  tough  and  sharp,  that 
they  would  penetrate  our  thickest  ponchos.  This  fact  was 


336  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

discovered  by  most  of  the  boys,  by  personal  experience  ;  as 
they  learned  nearly  everything  else.  On  spreading  their 
ponchos,  after  a  hard  hour's  march,  and  sitting  down  sud 
denly,  they  could  scarcely  suppress  the  involuntary  oath 
that  struggled  up,  as  the  ugly  barbs  pierced  the  nether  cu 
ticle,  compelling  instant  removal  to  another  spot. 

"The  wicked  flea,  which  no  man  pursues,"  though  not 
quoted  with  precise  accuracy,  was  as  plentiful  there  as  the 
locusts  in  Egypt.  Tarantulas  and  centipedes,  also,  were 
quite  numerous,  and  dangerous  ;  and  the  deadly  scorpion 
was  liable  to  turn  up  at  any  point.  The  writer,  while  em 
ployed  upon  the  regimental  books,  one  day,  put  his  hand 
upon  a  dead  scorpion,  curled  up  between  the  leaves  of  one 
of  the  large  volumes.  Several  cases  of  poisoning  by  these 
creatures  were  reported .  The  usual  antidote  for  the  bite , 
or  sting,  was  whisky  ;  though  with  some  the  cure  was  worse 
than  the  complaint.  One  man  recovered  from  the  bite  of 
a  tarantula,  by  the  copious  use  of  whisky,  and  the  wound 
healed  in  two  days  ;  but  the  man  died  of  delirium  tremens. 

The  town  of  Victoria  presented  a  very  forbidding  ap 
pearance,  with  its  dirty  streets,  rough,  unpainted,  isolated 
buildings,  broken-down  doors  and  dingy  rooms  ;  and  there 
was  most  harmonious  correspondence  between  these  and  its 
greasy,  disgusting  inhabitants.  The  houses  here,  as  well 
as  nearly  all  along  the  line  of  our  march ,  consisted  of  poles 
for  walls,  roof  and  chimney  of  sticks,  plastered  over,  inside 
and  out,  with  a  sort  of  white  pasty  clay,  that  is  found  near 
the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  gables  of  some  had  boards 
that  were  hauled  over  100  miles.  In  these  close,  filthy 
quarters,  and  covered  with  vermin,  those  people  appeared 
to  spend  their  lives  cheerfully.  The  streets  were  filled  with 
blinding  dust,  and  were  entirely  innocent  of  shade  trees. 
Reeking  odors  filled  the  air,  and  reminded  one  of  the  poet's 
description  of  the  famed  village  in  France  : 

"In  Colin,  a  town  of  monks  and  bones, 

And  pavements  fanged  with  murderous  stones, 


AT    A7ICTORIA.  337 

And  rags,  and  hags,  and  hideous  wenches, 

I  counted  five  and  seventy  stenches." 

If  cleanliness  be  akin  to  godliness,  those  people  would  not 
come  in  as  "forty-second  cousins"  to  divinity.  There  was 
little  in  the  town  to  interest  any  one.  Fronting  upon  a 
small  sluggish  stream,  it  recedes  from  the  ragged  shore, 
and  occupies  the  acclivity  and  crest  of  a  broad  mound,  that 
attains  an  elevation  of  perhaps  15  or  20  feet.  To  the  east, 
west  and  north  the  adjacent  country  stretches  away  level  to 
the  horizon.  To  the  southeast  the  eye  rests  on  the  low, 
blue  outlines  of  the  bluffs  or  ridges  rising  to  the  north  of 
Galveston,  about  50  miles  away. 

There  was  a  railroad  striking  off  from  this  place  in 
some  direction  ;  and  our  boys  were  detailed  to  repair  it . 
It  must  have  been  in  a  terrible  condition,  according  to  the 
report  they  made.  The  bridges  had  been  propped  up  tem 
porarily  with  rotten  and  decayed  timbers  ;  and,  instead  of 
replacing  the  old  ties  with  new  ones,  only  one  new  tie  was 
placed  at  the  ends  of  the  iron  rails,  and  one  in  the  middle. 
Trains  were  known  to  run  several  miles  without  jumping 
off  the  track.  A  friend,  who  admitted  having  gone  over  it, 
says  the  improvements  made  on  it  since,  are  of  the  finest 
character  in  the  world.  But  we  got  no  benefit  from  it. 

The  writer  visited  the  Catholic  chapel,  in  which  many 
relics  had  been  preserved.  Almost  everything  of  any  value 
had  been  carried  away  by  Father  Benoni,  the  priest,  to  a 
place  of  safety.  All  had  deserted  the  place  save  the  house 
keeper,  a  young  German  woman,  with  more  of  Martin  Lu 
ther's  ideas  of  religion  than  of  Romanism.  She  was  very 
tired  of  the  stupid  existence  she  was  forced  to  submit  to  ; 
and  sighed  for  freedom,  that  only  the  grave  promised  her. 
She  despised  the  insincerity  and  meaningless  mummery  of 
the'  chapel  service,  and  regarded  with  horror  the  ignorance 
and  heathenism  of  the  poor  degraded  masses,  who, 

"In  their  blindness, 
Bow  down  to  wood  and  stone." 

It  had  been  her  habit  to  undeceive  the  poor  creatures  who 
22 


338  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

came  from  time  to  time  for  absolution  and  consolation,  and 
to  encourage  them  to  rely  upon  God,  instead  of  a  besotted 
priest.  As  a  token  of  her  loyalty  to  our  country's  cause, 
she  presented  her  visitor  with  a  small  brass  crucifix,  which 
had  a  history  that  would  electrify  the  superstitious  Roman 
ist,  and  appall  him  with  horror.  The  crucifix  is  still  pre 
served,  with  its  marvelous  secret,  among  the  choicest  and 
most  sacred  of  his  war  relics. 

In  the  cramped  little  den  occupied  by  the  office  of  the 
Victoria  Gazette ,  we  met  an  old  typo,  who  had  at  one  time 
labored  in  the  "art  preservative"  in  the  more  appreciative 
North.  In  Texas  his  worth  was  not  realized.  The  Gazette 
was  a  dingy  little  paper,  printed  on  a  sheet  too  small  for  a 
full  form  by  a  half-column  ;  the  last  column  being  "half- 
measure."  This  man  had  been  for  several  years  a  sort  of 
journalistic  shuttlecock  in  the  upper  districts  of  Michigan  ; 
had  reported  the  proceedings  of  the  original  secession  con 
vention,  and  had  traveled  over  most  of  the  rebel  "confed 
eracy"  as  a  topographical  engineer.  His  experiences  had 
been  varied,  and  many  of  them  quite  interesting,  as  he 
narrated  them.  He  had  not  been  true  to  the  land  that  had 
made  him  what  he  had  been,  and  that  would  have  contin 
ued  to  advance  him,  in  the  profession  which  moulds  and 
directs  public  opinion  ;  and,  like  the  prodigal  son,  he  was 
now  feeding  on  the  husks  of  intellectual  existence  in  con 
sequence,  with  very  little  either  in  his  stomach  or  store  to 
compensate. 

A  very  exciting  incident  occurred  in  town,  one  day, 
the  particulars  of  which  interested  a  member  of  the  Fifty- 
First,  but  whose  name  must  be  suppressed .  He  was  a  Ger 
man  ;  and  in  his  search  for  something  to  eat,  had  dropped 
into  a  restaurant,  where  he  soon  got  into  a  dispute  with  a 
French  gentleman  who  ground  hash  for  the  establishment, 
and  who  attempted  to  convert  our  comrade  into  wurst,  but 
got  badly  worsted  himself.  The  gentleman  from  the  west 
side  of  the  Rhine  stabbed  the  Teuton  with  a  billet  of  wood, 


SUNSHINE    AND    STORM.  339 

and  retired  to  the  back  yard,  to  cool  off,  satisfied  with  his 
accomplishment.  Not  so  he  of  the  jaw-breaking  dialect, 
who  rushed  out  frantically  with  a  cheese-knife  half  as  long 
as  a  saber,  and  claimed  to  be  master  of  the  field.  Africa 
was  also  present,  but  being  about  equally  divided  on  the 
question,  proposed  to  remain  neutral.  France  made  a  fine 
sorte,  but  Bavaria  caught  him  on  the  flank,  and  enfiladed 
him;  leaving  him  scattered  all  over  the  field,  slicing  his 
cotton  uniform  into  convenient  strips  for  a  kite-tail .  Then , 
leaving  word  with  the  proprietor,  to  get  a  basket  and  sweep 
the  Frenchman  up,  he  took  the  shortest  cut  for  camp. 

HOT    WEATHER. 

Those  were  such  days  as  that  in  which  Sidney  Smith 
wanted  to  take  off  his  flesh,  and  sit  down  in  his  bones  ;  or, 
as  Artemas  Ward  said  of  the  final  reward  of  the  wicked,  it 
was  a  time  and  place  in  which  "a  man  would  sigh  for  his 
summer  clothes/'  At  such  a  time  we  could  sing  with  the 

poet : 

"O,  for  a  lodge  in  a  garden  of  cucumbers! 

O,  for  an  iceberg  or  two  at  control ! 
O,  for  a  vale  which  at  midday  the  dew  cumbers! 

O,  for  a  pleasure  trip  up  to  the  pole ! 

O,  for  a  little  one-story  thermometer! 

With  nothing  but  zeros  all  ranged  in  a  row ; 
O,  for  a  big  double-barreled  hydrometer, 

To  measure  this  moisture  that  rolls  from  my  brow! 

O,  for  a  soda-fount,  spouting  up  boldly 

From  every  hot  lamp-post  against  the  hot  sky ! 

O,  for  a  proud  lady  to  look  on  me  coldly ! 
Freezing  my  soul  with  a  glance  of  her  eye  ! 

Then,  O,  for  a  draught  from  a  cup  of  cold  pizen  ! 

And,  O,  for  a  resting-place  in  the  cold  grave  ! 
With  a  bath  in  the  Styx,  where  the  thick  shadow  lies  on 

And  deepens  the  chill  of  its  dark  running  wave ! 

Think  of  it !  The  sun  beating  down,  at  a  temperature 
not  a  degree  less  than  100°  in  the  shade  ;  the  sand  in  the 
road  glistening  with  heat ;  the  leaves  motionless  ;  the  little 
birds  panting  for  breath  ;  the  hot  sweat  standing  in  great 


340  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

beads  on  the  tent-poles  ;  our  ideas  melted  ;  our  mental  and 
physical  capabilities  thoroughly  exhausted  ;  when  a  cry  sa 
lutes  our  ears,  more  terrifying  than  that  of  the  horse-leech 
or  the  office  seeker  ;  more  importunate  than  the  claims  of 
a  creditor  ;  and  "more  irresistible  than  the  smiles  of  a  pretty 
widow  : — 

"Strike  tents  !  Turn  out,  here,  and  roll  'em  up  right 
quick  !  Fall  in  !  Forward ,  m-a-r-ch  ! ' ' 

And  away  wre  go  for  San  Antonio.  On  our  march  we 
met  more  native  teamsters  ;  such  long-bearded,  murderous- 
looking  fellows,  with  faces  brown  as  autumn,  and  innocent 
of  water  for  wreeks  at  a  time,  their  unkempt  hair  straggling 
in  matted  clusters  or  bunches  ;  trudging  along  15  or  18 
miles  a  day ,  perfectly  oblivious  to  the  world  of  intelligence 
and  refinement  about  them.  They  never  settle  anywhere  ; 
and  their  stay  depends  on  their  slyness  in  hiding  and  dis 
posing  of  what  they  appropriate  from  others. 

One  day,  about  noon,  and  just  as  we  had  halted  for 
dinner,  we  observed  a  dusty-looking  cloud  in  the  north 
west.  Not  being  familiar  with  all  the  peculiarities  of  that 
climate,  we  continued  our  season  of  refreshment  a  few  min 
utes  too  long.  Down  they  came,  those  bloodthirsty  clouds, 
rattling  a  million  fragments  of  dismembered  vegetation  into 
our  milk  —  that  had  just  been  drawn  on  special  requisition 
—  and  filling  our  eyes,  ears,  nostrils  and  mouths  with  vile 
dust.  We  gathered  our  stuff  together,  and  prepared  for  a 
cyclone.  Then  followed  the  most  tremendous  tempest  of 
wind  and  rain  we  had  ever  experienced.  It  seemed  like 
the  vault  of  heaven  had  uncorked  itself,  and  we  were  about 
to  have  another  Noahic  visitation.  It  was  worse,  in  its 
terrible  portent  and  in  our  undefined  apprehension,  than 
Waterloo.  It  was  a  water-spout ! 

Then  there  was  hurrying  to  and  fro, 

And  gathering  hard-tack,  and  yells  of  deep  distress; 

And  milk  all  spilt,  which  but  an  hour  ago 

Produced  the  fervent  envy  of  the  mess; 

And  swiftly  forming  in  the  ranks  of  war, 


NATURAL    AND    ARTIFICIAL    PRODUCTS.  341 

Without  the  fife's  shrill  voice,  or  clattering  drum, 
The  shivering  soldiers  chattered,  near  and  far, 
Or  murmured  with  white  lips,  "I'm  froze!"  "I'm  numb!" 
In  less  time  than  it  has  taken  to  describe  it,  the  rain 
had  passed  entirely  beyond  the  rear  of  our  division,  and 
we  began  to  collect  ourselves  ;  when ,  as  if  guided  by  the 
evil  one,  the  cloud  about-faced,  and  passing  back  directly 
over  us,  poured  out  upon  us  a  deluge  more  violent  and  wat 
ery  than  before  ;  drenching  and  soaking  us  as  completely 
as  if  we  had  been  dipped  in  the  river.  The  water  stood  in 
the  road  and  over  the  surrounding  land,  as  far  as  we  could 
see,  at  least  four  inches  deep  ;  and  as  there  were  no  fences, 
nor  sight  of  anything  save  the  water,  it  seemed  like  the 
gulf  had  broken  its  bonds  and  suddenly  enveloped  the  en 
tire  State.  We  were  compelled  to  wade  thus  for  several 
hours,  till  our  arrival  at  Helena,  a  hungry-looking  collec 
tion  of  half-a-dozen  kennels,  standing  on  a  slight  eminence 
in  the  county  of  Karnes  —  so  slight,  however,  that  the  ele 
vation  would  hardly  have  been  discerned,  but  that  all  the 
water  had  run  off,  leaving  the  grass  perfectly  dry  when  we 
got  there,  and  safe  to  lie  down  upon.  We  learned  there  the 
true  philosophy  of  getting  wet;  which  is  to  get  soaked. 
Moist  clothing  •  brings  a  hesitating  discomfort ;  but  in  feel 
ing  that  every  thread  is  drenched,  there  is  a  desperate  sort 
of  satisfaction.  At  Helena  we  were  given  time  to  dry  our 
clothes,  and  restore  our  frozen  limbs. 

NATURE    AND    ART. 

This  county,  as  well  as  De  Witt,  which  we  had  just 
left,  was  almost  destitute  of  trees  ;  and  for  long  stretches 
without  a  trace  of  civilization .  Over  these  wandered  mul 
titudes  of  cattle,  browsing  on  the  bur-grass,  and  watering 
at  the  rivers  and  lagoons.  At  one  place  we  saw  a  collection 
of  herds,  going  to  water  ;  which  were  said  to  number  over 
700,000  ;  and  further  up  the  Guadaloupe  River  were  fully 
300 ,000  more  —  all  within  a  radius  of  10  miles.  Here  we 
enjoyed  one  real  luxury  —  pure  milk  and  cream,  unadul- 


342  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

teratecl  by  chalk  or  water.  As  we  advanced  toward  San 
Antonio,  things  improved  a  little.  Occasionally  eggs  were 
obtainable,  but  at  very  exorbitant  prices.  Greenbacks  were 
becoming  scarce,  too,  and  it  behooved  the  boys  to  devise  a 
proper  variety  of  expedients  by  which  they  might  obtain 
their  daily  requirement  of  native  product.  Some  fell  back 
on  their  more  frugal  comrades ,  to  whom  they  gave  an  order 
on  the  paymaster,  for  the  amount  of  the  loan,  with  liberal 
interest ;  to  be  settled  on  next  pay-day.  Others,  with  more 
elastic  consciences,  had  provided  a  sort  of  currency  that 
was  only  resorted  to  in  such  a  period  of  great  stringency. 
It  consisted  of  an  advertisement  of  an  insurance  and  real 
estate  office  at  "Yohn's  Block,  No.  5,  Indianapolis,"  done 
in  cheap  lithography,  and  the  figure  5  placed  so  as  to  give 
it  the  appearance  of  a  bank  note,  and  printed  with  green 
ink.  It  was  a  real  invention  in  the  interest  of  economy. 

ANECDOTE    ABOUT    WILLICH. 

One  day,  when  the  sun  was  broiling  everything  that 
was  exposed,  the  sergeant-major  was  sweating  over  an  entry 
in  one  of  the  regimental  books.  Having  occasion  to  ask 
Colonel  Denny  for  information,  he  found  that  officer,  with 
General  Willich  and  several  others,  seated  under  a  tree, 
in  animated  conversation.  Obtaining  the  information  he 
sought,  the  subaltern  turned  to  go,  when  he  was  accosted 
quite  sharply  by  the  old  general,  who  said  : 

"Hey,  sawgent-majah  ;  I  ton't  vant  any  more  sich  tarn 
reports  vat  you  zent  in  !  My  atchitant  dells  me  you  zeiit 
in  de  vorst  reports  vot  come  in  de  prigade  ! ' ' 

"How  is  that,  sergeant?"  said  the  colonel ;  "I  thought 
your  reports  were  always  pretty  good . ' ' 

"Veil,  dey  ain't!  Dey 're  plotted  uncl  dutty,  like  dey 
fallt  in  a  hoss-pond  !" 

"I  beg  pardon  ;"  said  the  sergeant-major,  replying  to 
the  colonel ,  "  I  trust  there  is  a  mistake  somewhere . ' ' 

"Don't  dell  me  I'm  mishtaken,  ober  I   blay  hell  mit 


SAN    ANTONIO    DE    BEX  AH 


343 


you !"  roared  Willich,  in  a  fierce  rage,  as  he  shook  his  fist. 

The  usual  humiliation  followed  ;  and  the  brow-beaten 
youth  sought  his  den,  feeling  like  he  would  like  to  jump 
onto  that  old  Dutchman,  and  pound  him  good. 

Next  morning,  as  usual,  the  daily  report  was  made  out 
and  carried  over  to  brigade  headquarters  by  the  sergeant- 
major.  Laying  the  report  on  the  adjutant-general's  desk, 
he  was  quietly  slipping  away,  when  a  voice  came  from  the 

next  tent : 

"Sawgeiit-majah!  —  hey,  you  little  fellow!  come  pack 
here  !  I  vant  to  dell  you  vot  a  tarn  jeckess  I  mate  mit  my- 
zelf,  yesterday.  My  atchitant  dells  me  you  make  de  best 
reborts  vot  come  to  dis  hetquarters.  It's  dat  tarn  89t'  Illi 
nois  feller.  I  play  hell  mit  him  \" 

CAMP    SALADO,  NEAR    SAN    ANTONIO. 

Finally,  after  traversing  the  county  of  Wilson,  we  came 
to  San  Antonio,  the  county-seat  of  Bexar,  about  the  30th 
of  August  '65  ;  having  marched  over  200  miles  from  Indi- 
anola ;  and  went  into  camp  about  4  miles  southwest  of  the 
city,  on  Salado  [Sa-lah'-do]  Creek. 

As  we  did  nothing  there,  and  as  there  were  scarcely 
enough  able  for  duty  in  camp  long  enough  to  do  anything, 
there  is  very  little  to  say  about  it.  Besides,  the  writer,  in 
common  with  several  hundred  others  in  our  division,  had 
contracted  that  most  horrible  of  all  diseases,  "breakbone" 
fever,  and  was  incapable  of  chronicling  anything  that  may 
have  occurred.  There  was  no  doctor  in  our  camp,  and  no 
one  who  had  authority  to  issue  medicine,  but  Easterling. 
The  boys  had  no  faith  in  him,  as  he  had  only  a  short  expe 
rience  in  a  small  drug-store,  and  knew  nothing  about  dis 
ease  ;  so,  all  who  could,  got  transferred  to  the  division  hos 
pital,  where  Drs.  Collins  and  King  and  the  splendid  nurses 
they  had  there,  soon  had  the  boys  in  good  spirits,  and  on 
the  way  to  speedy  recovery. 

San  Antonio  was  a  tough  town.     The   principal   part 


344  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

of  the  male  portion  were  inveterate  gamblers,  from  the  boy 
of  6  years,  pitching  "two-bits"  (quarters,)  to  the  grizzled 
veteran,  venturing  his  remaining  cow.  Some  of  the  sol 
diers  entered  into  the  spirit,  with  a  zeal  worthy  of  a  better 
cause  ;  and  "fought  the  tiger"  as  hard  as  ever  they  fought 
rebels.  A  swarm  of  beer-blooded  Mexicans  occupied  the 
plaza,  in  the  center  of  the  town,  peddling  watermelons  and 
little  hard  apples.  The  pure  whites  had  a  sort  of  average 
intelligence,  for  they  were  principally  from  the  North  ;  but 
the  nasty-looking,  sallow,  skinny  natives  were  densely  ig 
norant.  The  men  seemed  to  be  constantly  "tight,"  ;  but 
this  could  not  be  said  of  the  women.  Yet  they  all  seemed 
happy  in  their  squalor  and  depravity. 

The  stomach  of  the  native  Texan  is  something  won 
derful.  One  day,  by  way  of  variety,  some  of  us  dined  at  a 
popular  hotel.  Some  of  these  comrades  were  of  the  first 
families  of  Indiana.  Before  one  of  them  was  a  dish  of  fine 
large  peppers,  placed  there  as  a  "relish,"  and  which  are 
relished  by  the  natives,  as  much  as  young  radishes  or  little 
pickles  are  by  the  average  Hoosier.  The  comrade's  mouth 
wratered,  as  he  observed  a  native  near  him  gulp  down  halt- 
a-dozen  of  them  in  as  many  minutes.  He  gazed  at  the 
beautiful  red  pods  ;  and  then,  as  the  waiter  was  a  little  slow 
with  his  order,  he  stuck  his  fork  into  one  of  them,  and  put 
it  into  his  mouth.  As  his  teeth  closed  on  it,  tears  sprang 
to  his  eyes  and  strangled  imprecations  to  his  lips.  With  a 
gasp  of  despair,  and  a  look  of  tenderest  don't-give-me-away 
pleading,  he  tore  the  blazing  cone  from  its  resting-place, 
and  clapped  it  on  the  table  ;  and  with  an  exclamation  that 
would  not  be  permitted  to  pass  through  a  telephone,  said, 
"Just  lie  there  and  cool !" 

THE    ALAMO. 

This  place  was  the  scene  of  the  hardest  battles  during 
the  old  Mexican  troubles  ;  and  where  Santa  Anna's  troops 
murdered  the  garrison  under  Col.  David  Crocket  and  Col. 


THE    ALAMO.  345 

Wm.  B.  Travis.     The  Alamo,  from  which  the  town  had  its 
origin,   was  a  chapel,  built  by  a  Romish  mission,  said  to 
have  been  planted  in  1673;  though  it  bore  the  date   1757. 
Its  name  in  Spanish  means  "poplar,"  and  was  derived,  no 
doubt  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  of  Baton  Rouge.     Dur 
ing  the  early  conflicts,  it  was  converted  into  a  fort ;  and  is 
known  in  history  as  Fort  Alamo.     The  entire  area  included 
more  than  two  acres,  and  was  surrounded  by  a  wall  9  to  12 
feet  high,  and  3  feet  thick.     In  1835,  the  Mexican  general 
surrendered  San  Antonio  to  the  Texans  ;  but  early  in  1836, 
Santa  Anna,   the  Mexican  dictator,  came  with  an  army  of 
3,000,  and  surrounded  the  town  and  fort,  defended  by  177 
men.     The   Mexicans  planted  2  batteries,  and   kept  up  an 
active  cannonade  on  the  fort.     There  were   also  frequent 
skirmishes  by  day  and   alarms  by  night.     Finally,   Santa 
Anna  called  a  council  of  war  ;  and  it  was  decided  to  make 
a  general  assault  at  daybreak  011  the  6th  of  March.     Three 
•divisions  advanced,  while  Santa  Anna,   taking  his  station 
with  bands  of  music  500   yards  south  of  the  fort,  sounded 
"No  quarters  !"     The  first  division  to  attack,  was  repulsed 
handsomely  ;   the  second  was  checked   for  some  time  ;   but 
the  third  scaled  the  wall.     Most  of  both  offic.ers  and  men 
were   killed   at  their  posts .     Travis  received   a  shot  as   he 
stood  on  the  wall,  cheering  his  men  on.    As  he  fell,  a  Mex 
ican  officer  rushed  forward  to  dispatch  him  ;  Travis  met  his 
assailant   with  a  thrust  of  his  sword  ;  and  they  expired  to 
gether.     The  garrison  kept  up  a  deadly  fire  from  the  doors 
and  windows.     Some  were  posted  in  the  old  chapel,  which 
had  long  been  unroofed  ;  and  there  the  last  fighting  took 
place.     One  was   killed   while  attempting  to  fire  the  maga 
zine.     A  few  who  escaped  from  the  enclosure,  were  shot  by 
the  cavalry.     One  officer  with  his  child  was  shot, while  leap 
ing  from  a  chapel  window.     The  whole  action  occupied  less 
than  an  hour  ;  and  Santa  Anna,  entering  toward  the  close, 
grossly  insulted  the  bodies  of  his  victims,  and  ordered  them 
burned.    Some  were  afterward  found  under  mattresses,  and 


346  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

served  like  the  rest.  This  spot  has  been  called,  from  that 
battle,  "the  Thermopylae  of  Texas." 

The  brutal  Mexican  leader  supposed  this  would  intim 
idate  the  natives  ;  but  it  only  aroused  them  to  vengeance. 
Eight  weeks  later,  at  San  Jacinto,  Gen.  Sam.  Houston,  at 
the  head  of  783  natives,  came  up  with  Santa  Anna's  army, 
charged  them,  shouting  fiercely,  "Remember  the  Alamo  !" 
and  routed  the  greasers  ;  capturing  their  leader. 

The  town  has  grown  to  be  a  populous  city  ;  the  census 
of  1890  giving  it  38,681. 

"BREAKBONE"   FEVER. 

This  disease,  which  has  already  been  mentioned,  and 
which  did  not  slight  very  many  of  us,  is  sometimes  epi 
demic  in  that  region.  It  occurs  in  this  form  at  intervals  of 
four  or  five  years,  and  is  known  as  "dengue/'  In  many 
respects,  it  is  identical  with  "yellow-jack  ;"  but  with  the 
important  difference  that  "breakbone"  rarely  kills.  It  is 
also  no  respecter  of  persons  ;  and  snaps  its  finger  at  accli 
mation.  The  natives,  however,  get  away  with  it  easily. 
They  quackle  down  their  orange-leaf  tea,  pack  their  heads 
in  cold,  wet  cloths  ;  and  are  soon  over  it.  But  it  wasn't  so 
with  our  comrades.  One  case  describes  the  experience  of 
nearly  all. 

Morning  broke  on  the  tired-out  veteran,  after  a  long 
and  fearful  night  in  pitched  battle  with  a  brigade  or  two  of 
gallinippers  ;  and  lie  blessed  the  day,  as  the  signal  for  re 
treat  of  the  sanguinary  foe.  He  answered  with  cheerful 
alacrity,  the  call  to  "grub-pile  ;"  and  contemplated  the  big 
cupful  of  black  coffee  and  the  hard-tack  with  pleasurable 
anticipation.  But  it  was  for  only  a  moment;  for  a  cold, 
disagreeable  sensation  began  creeping  up  his  spinal  col 
umn.  He  put  on  his  overcoat,  but  the  sensation  increased  ; 
and  in  an  instant  he  had  lost  his  appetite.  He  first  sought 
relief  in  wine,  made  from  the  native  grapes  ;  but  that  was 
a  failure.  There  was  a  sensation  of  nausea  in  the  epigas- 


i  I 


BREAKBONE"  FEVER.  347 


trie  region ,  attended  with  shooting  pains  in  the  back  of  his 
head.     Outside,  the  noisy  soldiers,  quarreling  over  a  game 
of  "horse-shoe"  quoits,  or  euchre,  and  anathematizing  the 
man  who  brought   them  to  Texas,   made  racket  enough  to 
distract  a  healthy  brain  ;  to  the  victim,  groaning  and  toss 
ing,   with  a  raging  headache,   an  aggravated  toothache  in 
every  muscle,   currents  of  molten  lead   coursing  through 
every  bone  and  bowel, —  an  earnest  of  sheol  it  seemed.     To 
be  broken  on  the  wheel,  or  stretched  on  the  rack,  would  be 
a  sweet  relief.     Partial  delirium   attended  the  working  of 
the  disease  ;  and  he  became  identified  with  everything  in 
the  camp.     Then  it  seemed  like  he  were  floating  in  space  ; 
vainly  trying  to  get  away  from   the   body  in  which  all   the 
pain  was  centered,  and  with  which  he  seemed  to  maintain 
only  a  nominal   connection  ;   by  no   means   pleasant,   yet- 
necessary  to  the  complete  appreciation  of  his  new  acquisi 
tion.     The  alleged   assistant-surgeon  was  applied  to,  and  a 
score  or  two  of  symptoms  described  ;   also  the  victim's  sus 
picions  were  ventured.     The  wonderful  man  of  science  felt 
the  comrade's  pulse,  looked  at  his  tongue,  gave   him  three 
or  four  lively  shakes,  informed  him  it  was  only  a  slight  bil 
ious  attack;  and  left  him  a  dozen  nasty-looking  powders, 
with  the  injunction  to  take  one  just  before  eating.    He  was 
perfectly  safe  in  the  latter,  so  far  as  any  good  or  evil  result 
was  concerned  ;  as  the  patient  might  have  died  forty  times, 
from  lack  of  virtual  benefit  contained  in  those  little  pack 
ages,  before  he  would  have  the  slightest  sign  of  an  inclina 
tion  to  eat.     Still  the  battle  raged.     The  headache  assumed 
a  spiral  tone,  like  a  huge  auger,  or  the  screw  of  a  propeller, 
boring  into   his   brain.     His  "mess"  did  all   they  could  to 
relieve  him  ;  but  there  is  no  consolation  for  a  man  with  the 
"dengue."     Every  part  of  his   physical  composition,  from 
head  to  foot,  seemed  broken  into  inch  bits  of  cartilage  and 
bone,  and  all  grinding  on  each  other.    As  the  "breakbone" 
finally  gave  signs  of  leaving,  it  was  succeeded  by  an  exag 
gerated  attack  of  "fever  'n'  ager,"  that  threatened  to  finish 


348  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

the  subject.  One  shake  of  genuine  Texas  ague  is  equal  to 
a  dozen  earthquakes,  and  almost  as  conclusive  as  an  ordi 
nary  thunderbolt.  Yet  hundreds  of  comrades  survived  the 
terrible  disease  ;  and  are  now,  that  the  vigor  of  youth  has 
yielded  to  the  natural  disablements  of  advanced  age,  pre 
maturely  decrepit,  gazing  into  open  graves,  in  consequence 
of  the  awful  experience  of  that  summer  and  fall  in  Texas. 

GENERAL    WOOD'S    FAREWELL    ORDER. 

About  the  middle  of  August,  General  T.  J.  Wood,  by 
an  order  emanating  from  the  War  Department,  relieving 
many  general  officers  from  their  former  commands,  and 
.assigning  them  to  new  ones,  was  transferred  to  the  com 
mand  of  the  Department  of  Arkansas.  The  first  intima 
tion  we  had  of  his  removal,  was  received  by  the  soldiers  of 
his  old  division  in  the  following  order,  which  was  read  on 
the  next  dress  parade.  The  reproduction  below  is  almost 
a  perfect  fac-simile  of  the  original  copy  sent  to  the  Fifty- 
First,  which  is  still  preserved  by  the  writer  : 

HEAD  QUARTERS  3rd  DIVISION,  4th  ARMY  CORPS, 
GREEN  LAKE,   TEXAS,   August  24th,  1865. 

SOLDI E  R  s : 

An  order  assigning  me  to  duty  in  another  depart 
ment,  dissolves  our  official  relations.  It  is  therefore  necessary  I  should 
take  leave  of  you.  Had  it  been  consistent  with  the  views  and  orders  of 
the  Government,  I  should  have  greatly  preferred  conducting  you  to  a 
rendezvous  near  to  your  homes,  there  to  have  seen  you  nmstered-out  of 
the  service,  and  bidden  you  a  final  adieu.  It  is  ordered  otherwise,  and, 
as  good  soldiers,  we  must  submit  cheerfully,  and  perform  with  alacrity, 
whatever  duty  is  imposed  on  us. 

Your  military  career  has  been  glorious.  You  can  retrospect  the  history 
of  your  participation  in  the  war  for  the  suppression  of  the  atrocious  re 
bellion  with  the  proudest  satisfaction  ;  unalloyed  by  any  feeling  of  regret 
or  sorrow,  save  that  which  you  feel  for  the  brave  comrades  who  fell  on 
the  battle  field,  or  who  have  been  disabled  and  maimed  for  life.  To  the 
bereaved  and  afflicted  I  am  sure  you  will  ever  extend  the  cordial  sympa 
thy  of  gallant  soldiers. 

As  a  right  fairly  won,  you  can  blazon  on  your  banners  a  long  roll  of  the 
proudest  historic  names — names  which  symbolize  some  of  the  hardest 
fought  fields  and  grandest  victories  of  the  war.  Your  fair  fame  as  sol- 


GENERAL    WOOD'S    DEPARTURE.  349 

diers  will   be  the  richest  legacy  you  can   bequeath  to  your  posterity.     It 
will  be  a  priceless  inheritance. 

Soldiers  !  Remember  that  as  you  have  been  the  preservers  of  our 
nationality  in  the  great  and  terrible  domestic  war,  you  must  consider 
yourselves  the  custodians  of  our  national  honor  and  dignity  and  rights, 
and  be  ready  to  do  battle  for  these  great  interests  whenever  they  may  be 
imperilled,  whether  by  a  domestic  or  foreign  foe.  Having  asserted  the 
principle  of  free  government  in  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion,  you  must 
maintain  it  against  all  enemies. 

It  is  highly  probable  that  I  may  chance  in  the  future  to  meet  many  of 
you  in  civil  life  and  I  now  request  if  such  should  be  the  case,  none  of  you 
will  hesitate  to  make  yourselves  known  to  me.  I  make  this  request  for 
the  reason  that  the  change  produced  in  your  appearance  by  doffing  the 
uniform  of  the  soldier  and  donning  the  attire  of  the  citizen  will  prevent 
me  from  recognizing  many  of  you.  It  will  ever  afford  me  pleasure  to 
greet  any  soldier  who  has  served  under  my  command.  Participation  in 
common  dangers,  privations  and  hardships,  and  the  sharing  of  common 
triumphs,  have  warmly  attached  me  to  all  of  you,  and  cause  me  to  feel 
a  deep  interest  in  your  future  prosperity.  I  can  wish  you  no  better  for 
tune  than  that  in  the  peaceful  vocations  of  civil  life  your  career  may  be 
as  prosperous,  successful  and  happy  as  your  military  career  has  been  bril 
liant,  honorable  and  useful.  To  each  one  of  you  I  bid  a  friendly  good 
bye,  with  the  assurance  that  from  my  inmost  heart  goes  forth  a  sincere 
invocation  for  God's  blessing  on  you.  Soldiers,  farewell ! 

TH.  J.  WOOD, 

Maj.  General  Vols. 

General  Wood  was  indeed  a  friend  to  the  common  sol 
dier  ;  and  had  endeared  himself  to  them  by  his  many  acts 
of  genuine  kindness.  They  will  ever  hold  dear  to  memory 
the  name  of  "Old  Tommy  Wood,"  as  he  was  familiarly 
called,  when  spoken  of,  just  as  the  idol  of  the  Cumberland 
Army  was  called  "Old  Pap  Thomas,"  and  will  always  be 
proud  of  having  belonged  to  the  old  division  he  had  the 
honor  to  command  through  so  many  glorious  campaigns, 
so  many  hard-fought  battles  and  so  many  trying  hardships. 
He  was,  on  November  3,  '65,  by  General  Order  No.  159, 
War  Department,  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Army  of 
the  Tennessee. 

General  Wood's  removal  was  the  feather  that  broke  the 
camel's  back.  He  never  knew  it,  though;  and  had  he 
been  present,  he  could  have  prevented  the  unhappy  trans- 


-350  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

action  which  occurred.  Some  of  the  boys,  like  a  certain 
impulsive  element  in  every  community,  felt  that  they  could 
stand  no  more  ;  and  now  their  indignation  asserted  itself. 
They  did  not  know  the  cause  of  his  removal ;  and  did  not 
stop  to  ask.  They  had  a  theory  that  it  was  in  some  way 
associated  with  their  demand  for  muster-out ;  and  that  was 
quite  enough.  Hundreds  of  soldiers,  who  had  preserved 
their  integrity  till  that  moment,  —  and  preserved  it  to  the 
end,  were  sorely  tempted  to  throw  off  the  yoke,  and  openly 
denounce  those  who  were  responsible  for  this  disaffection. 
The  more  considerate,  though,  sought  to  calm  the  impatient 
ones,  who  were  threatening  all  kinds  of  things,  and  to  pre 
vent  any  disgraceful  act  that  might  mar  their  thus  far  bril 
liant  record.  They  succeeded  in  part.  But  some  of  the 
boys  determined  to  demonstrate  in  some  way  ;  and  these 
decided  on  a  parade  in  mock  honor  of  the  individual  who 
was  holding  them  in  Texas.  They  found  a  burro,  which  is 
a  diminutive  donkey,  a  native  of  that  region,  about  the  size 
of  a  calf  two  weeks  old,  whose  head  constitutes  one-half  of 
the  beast,  is  as  hard  as  an  oak  post,  and  is  surmounted  by 
most  enormous  ears.  They  then  constructed  an  effigy,  as 
nearly  resembling  the  person  intended  to  represent,  as  the 
able  artists  could  get  up  under  the  circumstances  —  in  full 
uniform  ;  and  strapping  it  onto  the  burro,  paraded  it  thus 
through  the  whole  camp,  demanding,  with  terrible  epithets 
and  imprecations,  the  immediate  muster-out  of  themselves 
and  their  comrades  ;  while  showers  of  pebbles  and  volleys 
of  clods  and  sticks  were  hurled  against  the  devoted  paddy. 
The  brass  ornaments  shone  resplendent  in  the  evening  sun, 
and  dazzled  all  beholders.  The  bosom  of  the  uniform  stuck 
out  like  that  of  a  Thanksgiving  turkey  ;  the  coat-tails  float 
ing  gracefully  behind,  like  a  fashionable  belle  with  a  "Gre 
cian  bend."  A  ponderous  saber  clanked  at  his  side,  to 
which  his  spurs  rattled  a  merry  accompaniment.  There 
was  no  response  from  headquarters  ;  and  everything  soon 
-quieted  down. 


THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    END.  351 

About  the  first  of  September  a  large  force  was  distrib 
uted  along  the  Rio  Grande,  in  consequence  of  the  disturbed 
condition  of  affairs  reported  there,  and  the  escape  of  many 
rebel  soldiers  and  officers  into  Mexico,  carrying  with  them 
arms  and  other  property  rightfully  belonging  to  the  United 
States.  Along  with  this,  a  rumor  prevailed,  that  General 
Sheridan  had  an  ambition  to  fight  Maximilliaii,  and  that 
he  would  try  to  take  the  4th  Corps  across  the  Mexican  bor 
der,  on  some  pretext  or  other.  The  popular  feeling  among 
the  rank  and  file  was  that  a  certain  person  was  ambitious 
to  be  provisional  governor,  while  another  aspirant  for  hon 
ors  was  to  be  known  as  the  great  American  invader  of  the 
land  of  the  Montezumas.  Several  officers  who  called  at 
headquarters,  to  make  inquiry  about  the  cause  of  our  de 
tention  in  Texas  ;  there  having  been  no  development,  since 
our  entering  the  State,  of  any  public  interest  necessitating 
the  presence  of  a  large  and  expensive  body  of  veteran  sol 
diers  ;  reported  that  they  were  snubbed,  and  returned  as 
wise  as  they  went.  Many  believed  all  this  ;  and  it  again 
threatened  to  demoralize  the  entire  army  in  that  section. 
Various  methods  were  resorted  to,  to  prevent  insubordina 
tion,  and  to  relieve  the  dreadful  pressure  that  seemed  about 
to  find  vent  in  some  sort  of  folly. 

Saturday,  September  3,  we  were  still  in  our  old  camp 
on  Salado  Creek.  General  Willich,  who  had  been  sick  and 
absent  from  the  command  for  a  long  time,  had  gone  home, 
in  accordan.ce  with  the  order  from  the  War  Deparment,  re 
ferred  to  ;  and  Brev. -Brig .-Gen.  H.  K.  McConnell  was  com 
manding  our  brigade.  Major-General  Wright,  who  was  at 
that  time  commanding  the  Department  of  Texas,  reviewed 
our  brigade,  at  which  time  he  was  presented  with  a  petition 
signed  by  all  the  regimental  commanders,  and  by  the  brig 
ade  commander  also,  for  the  immediate  muster-out  of  our 
brigade  ;  which  he  readily  approved,  and  promised  to  leave 
orders  with 'General  Stanley,  for  carrying  into  effect,  as 
soon  as  he  arrived  at  Victoria. 


352  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

October  4,  Taswell  Dodd,  who  was  a  recruit  of  '62,  was 
miistered-out,  by  reason  of  expiration  of  service;  and  we 
were  without  a  postmaster  from  that  on. 

Then  began  a  disintegration,  that  continued  during 
our  stay  there.  At  Camp  Weidner,  October  22,  although 
Sunday,  100  one-year  men  started  for  home  ;  their  term  of 
service  having  expired.  We  were  cheered  with  the  infor 
mation  that  an  order  was  at  division  headquarters  for  the 
muster-out  of  the  Fifty-First ;  but  grew  gloomy  when  told 
we  would  be  retained  till  after  the  State  election.  What 
did  we  care  for  the  State  election  ?  All  around  us  were  the 
wasted  forms  of  gallant  boys,  who  in  health  marched  up  to 
the  cannon's  mouth,  and  charged  serried  hosts  of  rebels,  to 
save  the  Nation,  and  to  preserve  the  honor  of  the  old  flag. 
They  wanted  to  go  home,  while  they  were  able  to  get  there. 
And  they  were  hopefully  waiting. 

"  Waiting  for  health  and  strength  ; 

Counting  each  flickering  pulse,  each  passing  hour, 
And  sighing,  when  the  weary  frame  at  length 

Hank  like  a  drooping  flower. 
Waiting  for  absent  eyes, 

Brighter  than  sunrise  to  the  lonesome  sea  ; 
Lovely  as  life  to  youth's  expectant  gaze, 

And  dear  almost  as  heaven." 

BREAKING    UP. 

Our  brigade,  that  had  included  seven  regiments,  now 
began  to  be  broken  up.  The  89th  Illinois  went  to  New 
Braunfels  ;  the  15th  Ohio  to  Stanley's  headquarters,  at  Vic 
toria  ;  8th  Kansas  to  San  Antonio  ;  49th  Ohio  to  Gonzales  ; 
leaving  with  us  the  71st  Ohio,  (General  McConnell's  old 
regiment,)  and  the  32d  Indiana,  (Willich's  old  regiment,) 
to  preserve  the  "roundness  of  our  organic  unity."  It  was 
expected  we  would  be  sent  to  Galveston.  Camp  duty  was 
almost  entirely  suspended  ;  roll-calls  were  very  irregular ; 
and  the  boys  who  were  able  and  inclined ,  found  amusement 
in  fishing,  gathering  pecans  and  smoking  "jerked"  beef  for 
prospective  consumption  while  crossing  the  gulf,  and  on 


MUSTERED    OUT.  353 

the  way  home.  Most  of  the  boys  were  convalescing  from 
"breakbone"  fever  and  Texas  ague  ;  and  simply  sat  around 
and  waited. 

MUSTERED    OUT. 

At  length  it  came.    About  November  20,  the  following 
order  was  promulgated,  and  we  got  ready  at  once  to  march  : 

HDQRS.  CENTRAL,  DISTRICT  OF  TEXAS,  ] 

AST.  ADJ.  GEN.'S  OFFICE, 
San  Antonio,  Tex.,  Nov.  16,  1865.  J 
SPECIAL  ORDERS 

No.  234.  [Extract.] 

In  accordance  with  Special  Orders  No.  62,  Par.  5,  Head  Quarters  De 
partment  of  Texas,  dated  Galveston,  Texas,  Oct.  23d,  1865,  the  following 
Regiments  will  be  mustered  out  of  service: 
77th  Pennsylvania  V.  V.  I.,  loth  Missouri  V.  V.  I. 

31st  Indiana,  "  28th  Kentucky,     " 

23d  Kentucky,  "  13th  Ohio, 

21st  Kentucky,  loth  Ohio, 

21st  Illinois,  71st  Ohio, 

40th  Indiana,  49th  Ohio, 

57th  Indiana,  59th  Illinois, 

42d  Illinois,  "  8th  Kansas-, 

64th  Ohio,  "  51st  Indiana, 

65th  Ohio,  "  32(1  Indiana. 

13th  Wisconsin,  " 

By  command  of  Maj.  Gen.  D.  S.  STANLEY, 

W.  H.  SINCLAIR,  A.  A.  Gen, 
Certified  to  by  W.  NICHOLAS,  Capt,  &  V.  M.,  C.  D.  of  Texas. 

In  this  order  the  commanding  officers  were  directed  to 
forward  reports,  designating  the  rendezvous  each  regiment 
should  be  sent  to,  for  final  payment  and  discharge.  The 
muster-out  rolls  of  the  Fifty-First  were  at  once  made  out, 
to  date  December  13,  1865;  our  rendezvous  for  final  dis 
charge  was  Indianapolis  ;  and  as  eacli  comrade  attached  his 
signature  to  the  roll,  he  was  then  silently  and  informally 
mustered-out.  Some  desired  their  final  discharge  in  Texas , 
for  various  reasons;  and  were  mustered-out  accordingly. 
Some  wrere  too  ill  to  undertake  the  trip  across  the  gulf,  and 
their  partners  did  not  want  to  leave  them.  A  few  wanted 
to  invest  their  pay  in  cattle,  and  take  them  home  for  specu 
lation.  The  rest  of  us  retraced  our  steps  by  the  nearest 

23 


354  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

route  to   Indianola,  where  we  were  to  take  the  next  ship  to 
New  Orleans. 

"Though  long  of  waves  and  winds  the  sport, 
Condemned  in  wretchedness  to  roam  ; 

Thou  soon  shalt  reach  a  sheltering  port, — 

A  quiet  home  !  " 

Merry  Christmas  came  to  us  as  we  lay  on  the  sandy 
beach  of  Matagorda  Bay  ;  the  fifth  anniversary  of  that  day 
we  had  spent  in  the  South  ;  but  we  had  no  pleasant  medi 
tations  specially  suited  to  that  holiday.  We  can  all  recall 
now  the  joys  of  childhood,  the  row  of  fat  stockings  hanging 
at  the  fire-place,  and  our  quarrels  over  our  treasures  —  as 
every  one  else  might.  But  we  didn't  meditate 'in  that  way 
there,  on  that  bleak,  dreary  beach.  A  variety  of  thoughts 
struggled  for  utterance  ;  but  we  were  weak,  and  tired  and 
sleepy  ;  and  so  we  let  them  struggle  on. 

BACK  TO  GOD'S  COUNTRY. 

Next  day  we  went  aboard  a  ship,  and  sailed  to  New 
Orleans  ;  arriving  there  in  time  to  celebrate  New  Year's 
Day  with  a  feast  of  delicious  oranges,  fresh  from  the  trees. 
We  marched  to  the  steamboat  landing  in  a  drenching  rain, 
which  held  on  till  we  went  aboard  the  steamer  "Clara  Dol- 
son,"  that  wras  to  take  us  to  Cairo,  Illinois. 

Just  as  we  reached  the  landing,  the  commissary  wagon 
came  up  and  issued  several  barrels  of  mess  pork  ;  which , 
as  the  boys  had  supplied  themselves  before  we  left  Texas, 
with  an  abundance  of  nicely  smoked  "jerked"  beef,  was  a 
rather  unwelcome  ration.  While  they  were  pondering  over 
its  disposition,  the  steward  of  the  steamer  approached  the 
sergeant-major,  and  proposed  that  if  the  boys  would  bring 
their  pork  around  to  the  cook-house,  lie  wrould  buy  every 
pound  of  it.  This  was  immediately  communicated  to  each 
company  ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  a  line  of  soldiers  formed 
half  way  round  the  boat,  making  their  way  to  the  steward's 
quarters  ;  where  they  soon  exchanged  .their  fat  meat  for  a 
good  price  in  casli . 


FINAL    DISCHARGE.  355 

At  Cairo  we  were  delayed  part  of  a  day, .on  account  of 
lack  of  transportation.  Then  we  proceeded  as  rapidly  as 
safety  would  permit,  to  Indianapolis  ;  where  we  found  de 
lightful  quarters  awaiting  us  in  the  "Soldiers'  Home"  on 
AVest  street,  near  Georgia  street,  a  comfortable  building, 
somewhat  similar  to  the  one  described  elsewhere  ;  this  one 
being  capable  of  lodging  1,800  men,  and  having  dining  ac 
commodations  for  8,000.  The  building  was  fitted  up  by 
the  State,  and  the  rations  were  furnished  by  the  Govern 
ment  ;  and  it  was  one  of  the  most  complete  institutions  of 
the  kind  in  the  country.  Regiments,  as  well  as  individ 
uals,  were  furnished  with  warm  meals  and  lodging,  almost 
at  a  moment's  notice.  Here  thousands  of  soldiers,  contin 
ually  arriving  and  departing,  some  en  route  to  join  their 
regiment  in  the  field,  others  returning  discharged,  or  on 
sick-leave  or  furlough,  were  provided  for.  At  this  place 
our  final  pay-rolls  were  signed,  and  we  received  our  final 
pay  and  discharge . 

During  the  brief  interval  between  our  arrival  and  dis 
charge,  the  boys  were  permitted  to  visit  the  clothing  stores  ; 
and  it  was  very  amusing  to  observe  the  wonderful  variety 
of  selections  made  by  the  boys,  as  they  exchanged  their 
soldier  suits  for  such  other  styles  as  pleased  their  fancy. 

The  arrival  of  the  paymaster,  then,  closed  the  last  act 
in  the  great  drama  of  our  army  life  ;  and  as  each  comrade 
departed  with  his  vellum  certificate  and  his  money,  the 
Fifty-First  Indiana  Regiment,  Veteran  Volunteer  Infantry, 
as  a  legal  and  physical  organization,  faded  like  the  mist 
before  the  morning  sun. 


356  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 


RECAPITULATION  AND  ROSTER. 

Adj. -Gen.  Terrell's  Report  is  very  far  from  being  ex 
actly  accurate  ;  not  nearly  so  much  from  his  errors,  as  the 
result  of  carelessness  and  incapacity  of  many  whose  duty  it 
was  to  furnish  the  data  from  which  that  report  was  made 
up.  Incorrect  as  it  is,  yet  it  is  the  only  comprehensive 
record  attainable  suited  for  this  work  ;  and  it  is  therefore 
used  just  as  it  is,  with  such  corrections  as  the  compiler  was 

enabled  to  make. 

• 

ENGAGEMENTS. 

The  following  list  of  engagements  in  which  the  Fifty- 
First  took  part,  is  compiled  from  the  Adjutant-General's 
Report;  to  which  must  be  added  the  fight  at  Charleston, 
Tenn.,  December  27,  '63,  and  at  Duck  River,  Columbia,' 
Tenn.,  December  23,  '64  ;  besides  a  great  many  heavy  skir 
mishes  and  sorties,  that  were  not  officially  reported  : 

1862.  April  7,  Shiloh,  (Pittsburg  Landing,)  Tenn. 
April  11  to  May  30,  Siege  of  Corinth. 
August  9,  McMinhville,  Tenn. 

August  21,  Gallatin,  Tenn. 

27,  "      (Second) 

October  8,  Perry ville,  (Chaplin  Hills,)  Ky. 
December  31   to  January  2,  '63,  Stone  River,  (Mur- 
freesboro,)  Tenn. 

1863.  April  30,  Day's  Gap,  Alabama. 

"       "    Crooked  Creek,  Alabama. 
May  2,  Blount's  Farm,  Alabama. 
November  25,  Mission  Ridge,  (Chattanooga,)  Tenn. 


RECAPITULATION.       FLAGS  AND  CAMPAIGNS.  357 

1864.  January  10,  Strawberry  Plains,  East  Tennessee. 
12,  Mossy  Creek, 
17,  Dandridge, 
August  15,  Dalton,  Georgia. 
November  26,  Columbia,  Tenn. 

30,  Franklin, 
December  15-16,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

CAMPAIGNS. 

Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  1862 

Siege  of  Corinth,  1862 

Pursuit  of  Bragg,  1862 

Rosecrans  in  Tennessee,  1863 

Streight's  Raid  1863 

Tennessee  and  Georgia,    ,-  1864 

Hood  —  Pulaski  to  Nashville,  (and  return,)  1864 

Texas,  1865 

FLAGS    IN    THE    STATE    LIBRARY. 

National  Flag ;  silk  ;  worn,  torn  and  faded  ;  inscribed, 
"51st  Regt.  Ind.  Vols."  ;  staff  good. 

Regimental  Flag  ;  blue  silk  ;  split  and  torn  ;  inscribed, 
"51st  Indiana  Regiment  Infantry,"  "Shiloh,"  "Corinth," 
"Chaplin  Hills,"  "Stone  River,"  "Day's  Gap,"  "Crooked 
Creek,"  "Cedar  Bluff,"  "Blount's  Farm,"  "Shoal  Creek," 
"Charleston,"  "Dandridge,"  "Battles  of  Nashville,"  "Co 
lumbia;"  "Duck  River,"  staff  good. 

Regimental  Flag;  blue  silk  ;  worn,  torn  and  faded; 
inscribed,  "51st  Regt.  Indiana  Vols.;"  "Stone  River, 
Tenn.  ;"  staff  good. 


The  Adjutant-General's  Report,  vol.  3,  p.  18,  says  : 
"  The  Fifty-First  Regiment  was  mustered  out  at  San  Antonio,  Texas, 
on  the  13th  of  December,  1865,  and  arrived  at  Indianapolis  on  the  10th 
of  January,  1866,  with  23  officers  and  286  men,  under  command  of  Lieut. 
Col.  Wm.  W.  iScearce.  On  the  following  day  it  had  a  public  reception, 
after  which  its  officer*  and  men  were  finally  discharged  from  service." 


358 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIM'ENT. 


According  to  that  authority,  also,  the  Fifty-First  hadr 
from  first  to  last,  43  original  commissioned  officers,  16  orig 
inal  non-commissioned  officers,  880  original  enlisted  men, 
654  recruits,  295  re-enlisted  veterans,  69  unassigned  re 
cruits,  7  commissioned  officers  died,  259  enlisted  men  died, 
130  deserted,  51  are  unaccounted  for  ;  a  total  of  1644.  The 
roster  reduces  this  number  to  1614,  as  follows  : 


COMPANIES. 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

<; 

H 

I 

K 

TOTAL. 

Killed  

7 

5 

7 

1 

o 

5 

0 

3 

1 

3 

32 

Diseased 

13 

12 

16 

12 

4 

1 

4 

g 

21 

°0 

109 

Unknown  

8 

4 

3 

9 

15 

17 

11 

20 

6 

4 

97 

Wounded  
Poisoned  
Drowned  
Drafted  

5 
0 
0 

7 

2 
0 
0 
0 

1 
1 
1 
15 

0 
0 
0 
32 

5 
0 
0 

13 

0 
0 
0 
21 

0 
0 
0 
9 

5 

0 
0 
14 

4 
0 
0 

27 

1 
0 
0 
•><) 

28 

1 
1 
164 

Substitutes  
Deserted  

13 
2J 

1 

92 

8 
8 

13 
14 

13 
9 

6 
•15 

19 
17 

12 

2 

11 
7 

7 
91 

103 
137 

.Veterans 21      29      33      15      31      25      30      36      27      23      270 

Non- Veterans  143    115    117     141     129    132    116    119    123    135    1270 

AGGREGATE.    164    144    150    156    160    157     146    155    150    158    1540 


FIELD  AND  STAFF, 
UNASSIGNED... 


29 
45 


GRAND  TOTAL...  1614 


RETROSPECTION. 


359 


RETROSPECTION. 

DEAR  COMRADES: 

Stop  and  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say  :   *• 
I  want  to  scan  your  faces,  and  shake  your  hands  to-day. 
The  years  have  rushed  by  swiftly,  yet  it  seems  an  age  to  me, 
Since  "Oki  Pap"  Thomas  had  his  last  review  in  Tennessee. 
There  was  color  in  your  faces  then,  and  fire  in  your  eyes, 
And  courage  in  your  loyal  hearts  that  nothing  could  disguise ; 
We  marched  and  fought  together  in  sunshine  rain  and  snow, 
On  Southern  plains  and  mountain-sides,  many  years  ago. 
A  vision  floats  before  me,        *        a  phantom  troop  goes  by, 
With  bayonets  glistening  brightly,  and  banners  waving  high  : 
Down  to  the  fields  of  strife  they  go,  with  proud  and  gallant  tread; 
Down  to  the  feast  of  carnage  —  to  the  harvest  of  the  dead. 
Burdens  of  hardships  on  their  backs,  burdens  of  hunger  and  thirst; 
Burdens  of  pictures  on  their  hearts,— almost  ready  to  burst; 
Pictures  of  mother  and  sister,  of  sweetheart  and  of  wife ; 
Pictures  of  boyhood's  sunny  home,  dearer  to  them  than  life! 
I  hear  again  the  sad  good-bye,  and  the  mother's  piteous  wail ; 
F  hear  the  love-lorn  maiden's  sigh,  as  her  lovely  cheek  turns  pale; 
I  hear  old  Jim  and  Curt,  as  they  fifed  and  drummed  that  day. 
I  hear  the  tramp  in  the  morning  damp,  as  my  comrades  march  away, 
And  they  stride  with  steady  pace  —  with  their  faces  all  aglow 
With  youth  and  love  and  loyalty,  as  they  did  so  long  ago. 
#  * '  *  *  %  •* 

Now  a  bronze  is  on  their  faces,  as  I  look  along  the  line; 

And  rent  and  rip  have  sadly  marred  the  uniform  so  fine; 

A  beard  is  growing  on  the  lip  so  late  by  mother  pressed ; 

The  slender  boy  is  stouter  now  than  sweetheart  once  caressed  ; 

And  battle-scars  show  here  and  there,  and  some  show  signs  of  pain; 

And  some  are  sighing  for  the  home  they  ne'er  shall  see  again  ; 

Some  are  dying — far  from  home,  alone  —  and  some  are  dead  : 

Killed  by  dread  contagion,  or  by  rebel  lead ; 


360  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Yet  their  spirits  march  before  me,  and  their  faces  all  I  know, 
As  we  comrades  knew  each  other,  in  the  long  ago. 

*  -:•:-  »;•-••*..'»$ 

They've  gone!  —  as  all  the  years  huve  gone,  since  we  put  off  the  blue; 

Some  to  watch  above  the  graves  where  lie  the  brave  and  true ; 

In  "soldiers'  home"  and  poor-house  some  find  a  bivouac  brief, 

While  many  draff  along  life's  march  in  sorrow  and  in  grief. 

I  cannot  tell  how  you  have  fared,  my  comrades,  — all  so  dear  ! 

How,  as  the  seasons  came  and  went,  you've  wrought  from  year  to  year; 

Whether  you've  had  to  "forage"  much  to  keep  your  "mess"  supplied, 

Or  if  the  "fat"  exceeds  the  "lean"  in  every  "bacon-side;  " 

Or  if  the  "hard-tack"  you  have  drawn  is  full  of  "worms"  and  "mould  ;  " 

Or  if  you've  lined  your  pockets  with  loads  of  shining  gold; 

But  there's  a  tie  no  others  know  —  all  will  agree,  I  ween, — 

That  binds  the  boys  of  Sixty-one,  who  drank  from  the  same  canteen. 

No  matter  what  that  vessel  held,  sweet  milk  or  apple-jack, 

Or  water  from  some  stagnant  pool,  or  coffee  strong  and  black, 

Gurgled  from  its  rusty  neck,  or  emptied  in  a  cup ; 

As  long  as  e'er  it  lasted,  we  divided,  sup  by  sup. 

We  marched  and  bunked  together  on  the  mountain-side  and  plain  ; 

On  barks  of  trees  we  made  our  beds  at  Shiloh,  in  the  rain  ; 

You  nursed  me  in  my  sickness,  and  brought  me  back  to  life  ; 

Your  cheers  inspired  my  courage,  in  the  din  and  heat  of  strife; 

When  my  haversack  was  empty,  you  opened  wide  your  own  ; 

WThen  sutler's  checks  were  out,  you  knew  just  where  to  get  a  loan. 

And  so,  my  grizzled  comrades,  as  we  near  life's  ragged  edge, 

I  warm  to  you,  and  here  renew  our  old  fraternal  pledge. 

Our  tramping  days  are  nearly  done;  our  sun  is  in  the  west; 

We're  nearing  camp  ; —  I  see  the  light !  we  soon  will  take  our  rest ; 

But  while  we're  on  the  tramp,  let's  go  together  down  the  slope; 

And  be  together  in  that  land  of  life  and  love  and  hope. 

So,  here's  a  health  to  you  and  yours,  my  comrades  true  and  brave, — 

To  the  dear  old  flag  we  love  so  much, — forever  may  it  wave ! 

Here's  to  the  mothers,  wives  and  girls,  whose  hearts  were  all  aglow, — 

Whose  spirits  marched  and  suffered,  with  us  in  the  long  ago! 


THE     ROSTER 


361 


ROSTER    OF    FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA. 

The  uniform  date  of  muster-in,  which  appears  in  each 
company,  is  by  no  means  correct ;  as  many  soldiers  enlisted 
and  were  mustered  in  as  early  as  August ;  and  should  have 
been  so  recorded.  The  only  explanation  of  this  error  is, 
that  in  making  out  the  original  company  pay-rolls,  it  was 
easier  for  the  scribes  to  make  ditto  marks,  than  to  fill  out 
the  dates.  The  Adjutant-General's  Report  was  doubtless, 
made  up  from  these  pay-rolls.  The  excessive  " red-tape" 
that  prevailed  then,  may  also  have  had  something  to  do 
with  it.  The  compiler  has  taken  no  liberty  with  the  Re 
port,  save  in  a  few  instances,  where  he  was  requested  to  do 
so  by  the  individuals  interested. 

EXPLANATION  . — A  date  immediately  after  a  name ,  indi 
cates  the  muster-in  of  each  individual ;  except  original  muster- 
in ,,  which  is  given  at  the  head  of  each  Company.  An  italic 
v  signifies  "-veteran."  Other  dates  and  abbreviations  ex 
plain  themselves. 


FIELD  AND  STAFF. 

Colonel. 

Abel  D.  Straight,  Dec.  12,  '61  ;  com'd  Sept.  4,  '61  ;   resig 
Mar.  16,  '65. 

Lieutenant -Colonel. 

Benj.  J.  Spooner,  Dec.  4,  '61 ;  com'd  same  date  ;  res  June 
16,  '62  ;  re-entered  service  as  Colonel  83d  Regiment. 

Major. 

Wm.  H.  Colescott,  Dec.  7,  '61 ;  com'd  Oct.  9,  '61  ;  pro  Lt.- 
Col.  June  7,  '62  ;  res  Feb.  26,  '63. 

Adjutant. 
Jno.  W.  Ramsey,  Dec.  7/61,  com  Dec.  4, '61,  res  Nov.  28/62. 

Quartermaster. 
John  G.  Doughty,  Sept.  30,  '61  ;  com'd  Sept  27,  '61  ;  hoii 

dis  Sept.  30,  '64. 

Chaplain . 

Elias  Gaskins,  Dec.  14,  '61  ;  com'd  Oct.  22,  '61  ;   res  Mar. 
26, '63. 


362  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Surgeon. 

Erasmus  B.  Collins,   Dec.  6,  '61;   com'd  Nov.  19,  '61  ;  res. 
Mar.  22/63  ;  re-corn 'cl  Apr.  6,  '64  ;  must-out  Dec.  13, '65. 

Asuistant  Surgeons. 

David  Adams,  Dec.  9,  '61 ;  res.  Nov.  8,  '62. 
Win.  Moorehead,  pro  tern  ;  com'd  Apr.  25,  '62. 
Wm.  P.  Parr,  "  «  « 

John  W.  Pearce,  com'd  Sept.  27,  '62  ;  res.  Apr.  15,  '05. 

Sergeant- Major. 
.Wm.  M.  Cochran,  Dec.  14,  '61  ;  dis.  June  19,  '62,  disability. 

Hospital  Steward. 

Henry  E.  King,  Dec.  14,  '61  ;  pro.  Ast,  Surg.  Dec.  6,  '62  ; 
must-out  Dec.  13,  '65. 

Quartermaster's  Sergeant. 
Henry  C.  Long,  Dec.  14,  '61  ;  pro.  Q.  M.  124th  Regt. 

Principal  Musicians. 

James  H.  Todd,  Dec.  14,  '61 ;  must-out  (about)  Mar.  20,  '62. 
Alonzo  D.  Coe,  "  «  «  « 

Musicians. 

[Mustered-iii  December  14,  1861  ;  niustered-out  (about)  March  20,  1862.] 
Alvin  B.  Charpie,  Geo.  W.  Coil, 

James  Douglas,  John  H.  Murphy, 

Newton  H.  Morgan,  Otho  Olinger, 

Wm.  R.  Beckwith,  Samuel  Lavey, 

Jesse  D.  Zern,  Ira  Mason, 

Elias  Olinger,  Charles  West. 

Bartley  Marrer, 


COMPANY  A. 

[Original  muster-in,  December  13,  1861.] 
Captain. 

Jacob  H.  Fleece,  com'd  Oct.  11,  '61 ;  res.  Aug.  9,  '62. 

First  Lieutenant. 

Milton  Russell,  com'd  Oct.  11,  '61  ;   pro.  Captain  Aug.  10, 
'62;  hon.dis.  Dec.  30,  '64. 

Second  Lieutenant. 
Harvey  Slavens,  com'd  Oct.  11,  '61  ;  died  Mar.  27/62. 


KOSTKK    OF    COMPANY    A. 


363 


First  Sergeant. 

Wm.  A.  Adair,  pro  2d  Lt.  Apr.  24,  '62;   1st  Lt.  Aug.  10, 
'62  ;  honorably  discharged  Mar.  12,  '65. 

berg&ant*. 

John  Harlan,  discharged  May    2,  '62,  disability. 
Geo.  A.  Proctor,  died  May  30,  '63. 

Amos  C.  Weaver,  dis  Mar.  11,  '65,  wounds  at  Dalton,  Ga. 
Wm.  N.  McLevad,  dis  Oct.  25,  '63,  disabiliy. 

Corporate. 
Jeremiah   Givens,   pro  Captain  May  1,  '65;   mustered-out 

Dec.  13,  '65. 

Silas  Gardner,  deserted  May  1,  '62. 
Wm.  T.  Linn,  mustered-out  Dec.  14,  '64. 
John  Emmoiis,  pro  1st  Lt.  May  1,  '65  ;  mustered-out  Dec. 

13,  '65. 
Mahloii  A.  Dyer,  r,  pro  2d  Lt.  May  1,  '65,  must-out  Mar.  6, 

'66,  to  date  Dec.  13,  '65. 

Willis  Slaveris,  discharged  June  29,  '62,  disability. 
George-W.  Shackelford,  r,  mustered-out  Dec.  13,  '65. 
Wm.  B.  Gibson,  mustered-out  Dec.  14,  '64. 

Pi-ivates. 

Geo.  W.  Adams,  killed  May  28,  '63. 
David  Alley,  /',  mustered-out  Dec.  13,  '65. 
John  Allen,  deserted  Aug.  1,  '62. 
Patterson  J.  Brown,  deserted  June  9,  '64. 
Abner  A.  Bryan,  died  May,  '62,  at  Evansville. 
Francis  M.  Barber,  r,  pix>  corporal ;  must-out  Dec.  13,  '65, 
David  Budd,  killed  at  Murf'boro,  Jan.  2,  '63. 
Oscar.F.  Brown,  discharged  July  5,  '63,  disability. 
Joseph  Buchanan,  died  Feb.  10,  '64. 
Robert  A.  Condiff,  killed  at  Columbia  Jan.  19,  '65. 
Samuel  G.  Cook,  r,  pro  sergeant ;  must-out  Dec.  13,  '65. 
John  R.  Cook,  r,  pro  corporal ; 

Warner  L.  Cole,  Feb.  14,  ^65. 

Geo.  W.  Crayner,  r,  pro  corporal;  .  Dec.^13,    65, 

Wm.  Duckworth,  killed  at  Murfreesboro  Jan.  2,  '63. 
Wm.  Davis,  discharged  Oct.  27,  '62,  disability. 
Francis  M.  Davis,  mustered-out  Dec.  14,  '64. 
Martin  Debard ,  deserted  Aug.  15,  '62. 
John  J.  Ellington,  discharged  June  23,  '62,  disability. 
Joseph  B.  Fleece,  killed  at  Nashville,  Dec.  16,  '64. 


364  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Geo.  J.  Frenyear,  died  Aug.  1,  '63. 

Richard  Frazier,  deserted  Nov.  1,  '62. 

John  R.  Givens,  discharged  June  29,  '63,  disability. 

Thomas  Gardner,  deserted  June  17,  '65. 

Samuel  Gwinn,  discharged  July  5,  '62,  disability. 

Anthony  Gardner,  died  Dec.  7,  '63. 

Win.  Houston,  r,  mustered-out  Dec.  13,  '65. 

Wade  H.  Harrison,  Dec.  14,  '64,  exp.  service. 

John  W.  Hunt,  discharged  Mar.  1,  '63,  disability. 

Wm.  P.  House,  July  10,  '62,  disability. 

Wm.  H.  Harvey,  pro  2d  Lt.  Sep.  '62  ;  must-out  Dec.  14,  '64. 

Jesse  Jones,  discharged  July  4,  '62,  disability. 

Wm.  T.  Jordan,  -c,  pro  corp  ;  mustered-out  Dec.  13,  '65. 

Samuel  A.  Johnson,  "  " 

Francis  Kelly,  r,  pro  corporal ;  " 

Henry  T.  Kirk,  r, 

James  S.  Linn,  v,  pro  sergeant ; 

John  Lookabaugh,  v,  deserted  June  17,  '65. 

Wm.  Lovell,  mustered-out  June  4,  '65. 

George  W.  Moore,  discharged  June  25,  '62,  disability. 

Henry  C.  Moore,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 

Eli  Marshall,  Dec.  2,  '61. 

Mason  Morris,  r,  deserted  June  17,  '65. 

John  Morris,  discharged  May  1,  '62,  disability. 

G.  W.  McCormick,  died  Apr.  5,  '65. 

Berriman  McCormick,  deserted  June  17,  '65. 

Richard  S.  Marun,  died  Sept.  16,  '62. 

John  Osborii,  discharged  June  18,  '62,  disability. 

Josephus  Osborn,     "  -       June  11,  '62,  disability. 

Wm.  D.  Osborn,  died  Mar.  3,  '62. 

James  B.  Proctor,  r,  pro  sergeant ;  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 

Williamson  Page,  discharged  Feb.  1,  '63,  disability. 

Logan  Russell,  Sept.  18,  '62,  disability. 

Thomas  Rose,  Sept.  10,  '62,  disability. 

James  I.  Rose,  died  Sept.  18,  '62. 

John  Roberts,  r,  pro  corporal;  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 

Thomas  B.  Riggins,  died  Dec.  10,  '61. 

Joseph  Sears,  killed  at  Stone  River,  Jan.  2,  '63. 

Milton  Slavens,  discharged  June'25,  '62. 

James  Southerland,  died  July  1,  '62. 

Edward  Shepherd,  died  at  Camp  Chase,  June  1,  '63. 

James  Sheckles,  discharged  Aug.  1,  '62,  disability. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    A. 


365 


Ira  F.  Shurley,  discharged  June  18,  '62,  disability. 

Ed.  L.  Shurley,  -v,  transferred  to  1st  U.S.  Eng.  July  16,  '64. 

David  Steers,  discharged  Dec.  14,  '64. 

John  P.  Smith,  pro  Hospital  Steward,  dis  Dec.  14,  '04. 

Caleb  Smith,  discharged  Apr.  17,  '65. 

Daniel  Schrayer,  discharged  Dec.  14,  '64. 

Franklin  F.  Soots,  died  Nov.  1,  '62. 

John  C.  Trotter,  discharged  Aug.  10,  '62. 

William  Tout,  r,  mustered-out  Dec.  13,  '65.' 

Jas.  M.  Warren,  died  Jan.  30,  '62. 

John  E.  Walker,  transferred  to  the  marine  Sept.  20,  '62. 

Montreville  Waddel,  discharged  May  29,J65,  wounds. 

Amos  Warrick,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 

John  M.  White,  r,  pro  corporal ;  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 

Recruits. 

David  S.  Adams,  Sept.  11,  '62  ;  died  Jan.  25,  '63. 
John  A.  Anderson,  June  29,  '63  ;  deserted  July  10,  '65. 
John  J.  Armstrong,  Oct.  13,  '64;  drafted,  des  June  14,  '65. 
Marcellus  Brown,  accid  killed,  Athens,  Tenn.,  Apr  20,  '64. 
John  W.  Brooks,  Aug.  10,  '63  ;  deserted  June  17,  '65. 
James  A.  Booher,  Oct.  6,  '64  ;  sub,  dis  May  20,  '65,  wounds. 
Alpheus  Booher,  "     "    Oct.  19, '65. 

James  Beaver,  Oct.  14,  '64;       "     "    July  18,  '65. 
Nicholas  Berget,  Sept.  28,  '64,  drafted,  dis  July  18,  ^65. 
Frederick  Berget,  Oct.  9,  '64,  discharged  Oct.  19,  '65. 
Francis  Buler,  Sept.  16,  '64,  drafted,  never  reported. 
Frederick  Barker,  Oct.  17,  '64,  substitute,  never  reported. 
Lewis  A.  Concliff,  Aug.  1,  '63,  died  Oct.  29,  '64. 
John  H.  Crabb,  Oct.  5,  '63,  transfd  to  V.  R.  C.  Apr.  6,  '66. 
John  H.  Crabb,  died  Feb.  15,  '65,  wounds. 

John  Christy,  Oct.  18,  '64,  died  Feb.  17,  '65,  at  Nashville. 
Noah  Cloe,  Oct  7,  '64,  substitute,  discharged  Oct.  19,  '65, 
Carey  Cooper,  Oct  14,  '64,  " 

Allen  Danner,  June  15,  '63,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
William  S.  Dayton,  Sept.  21,  '63,   " 
John  Douglas,  Mar.  28,  '64, 
George  W.  Davis,  Oct.  14,  '64,       "         Oct.  19,  '65,  subst 

George  W.  Durand, ,  deserted  Apr.  20,  '65. 

William  A.  Ellis,  July  29,  '63,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
JohnT.  Ellis,  Mar.  28,  '64, 

Marion  Fitch,  Oct.  22,  '62,  pro  Hosp.  St'd,  dis  Oct.  22,  65 
Peter  Fuhrer,  Oct.  15,  '64,  substitute,  dis  July  17,  '65. 


300  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Francis  M.  Green,  Oct.  8,  '03,  discharged  June  9,  '04. 
George  S.  Givens,  Nov.  11,  '04,         "         Dec.  1.3,  '05. 
William  Hockman,  Oct.  13,  '04,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14,  '05. 
Alpheus  P.  Job,  Mar.  11,  '05,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '05. 
Jacob  Kurz,  Oct.  7,  '04,  substitute,  deserted  June  17,  '05. 
George  W.  Manley,  July  0,  '03,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '05. 
John  W.  McCormick,  July  22,  '03,  died  Mar.  13,  '05. 
William  S.  McCormick,  Aug.  21 ,  '03,  transf  V.  R.  C.  Apr, 

1,  '05. 

Aq.  S.  McCormick,  Apr.  7,  '04,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '05. 
Stephen  L.  McCormick,  Mar.  29,  '04,  deserted  June  17,  '05, 
William  Matthew,  Aug.  29,  '03,  "  " 

Frederick  Mosier,  Sept.  28,  '04,  drafted,  dis  June  14,  '05. 
Jacob  Mosiman,  "  " 

William  P.  Moore,  Aug.  12,  '03,  deserted  June  15,  '05. 
Levi  Olmstead,  Oct.  22,  '04,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '05. 

James  F.  Ohaver, ,  deserted,  arrested,  time  made  up. 

Wm.  T.  Parkhurst,  Sep.  8,  '02,  transf  V.  R.  C.  Dec.  12,  '03. 

Dudley  H.  Parker,  June  24,  '03,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '05. 

Wm.  A.  Phillips,  Oct.  15,  '03,  pro  corp,  " 

James  Price,  Oct.  0,  '04,  sub,  died  of  wounds.' 

Wm.  A.  Pratt,  Oct.  4,  '04,  substitute,  deserted  Nov.  1.8,  '05. 

James  D.  Pickard,  Oct.  15,  '04,  "     discharged  Oct.  11,  '(55. 

Warren  Rice,  Nov.  23,  '03,  deserted  June  15,  '05. 

John  P.  Round,  Nov.  11,  '04,  discharged  Nov.  15,  '05. 

Peter  Reitz,  Oct.  15/04,  substitute,  discharged  Oct.  19,  '05. 

Elwood  E.  Richards,  Oct.  14,  '04,  died  Aug.  2P>,  '05. 

John  Smith,  Apr.  18,  '02,  died  July  4,  '02. 

Thomas  J.  Smith,  Apr.  1.8,  '02,  dis'  Dec.  1,  '02,  disability. 

George  E.  Shiner,  June  29,  '(53,  deserted  July  10,  '05. 

Thomas  J.  Spurgeon,   Oct.  13,  '04,  drafted,  dis  Dec.  13,  '05. 

Frederick  Scott,  Oct.  14,  '(54,  died  of  wounds  Dec.  17,  '05. 

William  T.  Tout,  June  ,6,  '03,  died  Apr.  10,  '03. 

Ephraim  Tull,  Sep.  30,  '04,  substitute,  killed  Dec.  1(5,  '04. 

William  T.  White,  Sep.  11,  '02,  died  Dec.  28,  '02. 

John  A  Ward,  July  29,  '03,  died  of  wounds  Jan.  15,  '05. 

Henry  N.  Ward,  July  29,  '03,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '05. 

John  M.  Watts,  Sep^  24,  '03, 

William  H.  Watkins,  Oct.  0,  '04,  discharged  Oct.  19,  '05. 

William  P.  Ward,  Oct.  14,  '04, 

Roland  F.  Wiltshire,  Oct.  12,  '04, 

Jonathan  Woter,  Oct.  22,  '03, 


KOSTKR    OF    COMPANY     B.  367 

Henry  Wivel, ,  deserted  Apr.  20,  '65. 

William  W.  Watts,  Apr.  3,  '65,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '<>5. 
Richard  L.  Watts,  Feb.  24,  '65, 


COMPANY  B. 

[Original  muster-in,  December  14,  1861.] 

Captain. 

David  A.  McHolland,  com'd  Oct.  11,  '61,  pro  Major  Apr. 
25,  '63,  pro  Lt.-Col.  June  30,  '63,  pro  Col.  Mar.  17,  '65, 
mustered-out  as  Major  Apr.  17,  '65. 

First  Lieutenant. 
Albert  Light,  com'd  Oct.  11,  '61,  died  Feb.  24,  '62. 

Second  Lieutenant. 

Adolphus  H.  Wonder,  com'd  Oct.  14,  '61,  pro  1st  Lt  Mar. 
15,  '62,  pro  Capt  June  30,  '63,  died  in  prison  Charles 
ton,  S.  C.,  Sept.  — ,  '64. 

First  Sergeant. 
Jeremiah  Sailor,  pro  2d  Lt  Mar.  15,  '62,  died  — . 

Sergeant*. 
Wm.  R.  Lewis,  pro  2d  Lt  June  30,  '63,   pro  Capt  Nov.  23, 

'64,  resigned  June  11,  '65. 
J.  Skinner,  discharged  Apr.  7,  '63,  by  order. 
Jeremiah  Fogerty,  deserted  Oct.  16,  '62. 
Edwin   R.Arnold,   pro   1st   Lt  June  30,  '63,   mustered-out 

Jan.  25, '65. 

Corporal*. 

J.  F.  Shafer,  discharged  Jan.  13,  '63. 

Aaron  Kenoyer,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 

John  D.  Morgan,  pro  1st  Lt  Feb.  6,  '65,  pro  Capt  June  12, 

Y>5,  mustered-out  Dec.  13,  '65. 

G.  E.  Tiffany,  r,  killed  Nov.  26,  '64,  at  Columbia,  Teim. 
J.  S.  Hurst /r, 

William  Deweese,  discharged  Dec.  2,  '63,  disability. 
A.  Arnold,  discharged  Dec.  14/64., 
D.  Doty,  unaccounted  for. 

Musicians. 

Samuel  Yoman,  deserted  July  1,  '62. 
J.  Bramble,  discharged  Mar.  26,  '63,  by  order. 


FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Wagoner. 
K.  Ferguson,  discharged  Oct.  12,  '63,  by  order. 

Privates. 

Robert  Barr,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
John  Burk,  Dec.  14,  '64. 

John  Bridgman,          *  " 

John  Branson,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
Robert  Barkhurst,  died  at  Nashville,  Nov.  30,  '62. 
Isaac  N.  Bush,  deserted  June  2,  '62. 
Samuel  Bechtel,  died  Feb.  7,  '62. 
William  Board,     "  « 

John  Bigger,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
Abraham  Cornelius,  discharged  May  21,  '62. 
Samuel  Clark,  killed  at  Day's  Gap,  Apr.  30,  '63. 
William  Collins,  r,  unaccounted  for. 
John  Coshow,  killed  at  Day's  Gap,  Apr.  30,  '63. 
Thomas  Crawn,  discharged  Mar.  13,  '65. 
Reece  A.  Denny,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
Smiley  Dawson,  discharged  Nov.  20,  '62. 
Daniel  C.  Darroh,  deserted  Sept.  15,  '63. 
Bartholomew  Davis,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
James  Ennis,  deserted  June  16,  '63. 
Thomas  Evans,  died  at  Bowling  Green,  Mar.  16,  '62. 
Alexander  Ekey,  discharged  Nov.  12,  '62. 
John  Feely,  "  May  15,  '62. 

Patrick  Griffin,  transf  to  V  R  C  Jan.  14,  '64. 
John  Greer,  discharged  Feb.  28,  '63,  disability. 
George  W.  Haney,  discharged  Dec.  14,  '64. 
Walter  Hawkins,  "  " 

Jacob  Hosier,  "  " 

John  T.  Harris,  " 

William  Haney,  r,          "  Dec.  13,  '65. 

George  W.  Hershman,  died  Apr.  22,  '62. 
James  H.  Harrington,  discharged  July  3,  '62,  disability 
Ezra  G.  Handley,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
Henry  Howery,  died  Dec.  24,  '61. 

James  Helms,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
James  Hatfield,  v,  "  " 

Ephraim  T.  Ham,  died  Apr.  23,  '63. 
Lemuel  J.  Johnson,  discharged  July  16,  '62,  disability. 
Isaac  P.  Johnson,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
Eli  Jackson,  died  at  Louisville,  Feb.  16,  '62. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    B.  369 

James  Kenoyer,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
•Leroy  H.  W.  Kelly,  discharged  Nov.  11/02,  by  order. 
James  Keenan,  deserted  Dec.  20/61.    4 
John  Karnes,  died  Mar.  15/62,  Nashville,  disease. 
Samuel  Lyon,  discharged  Dec.  14,  '64. 
Abel  Lyon,  deserted  May  2,  '62. 
John  B.  Lyon,  dis  June  13/62,  disability,  re-enl'd  Feb.  16, 

'64,  pro  Hospital  Steward,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Cyrus  Lowthain,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
John  Lowe,  discharged  Dec.  27/62,  disability. 
Robert  Love,  died  Jan.  2/62,  wounds  at  Stone  River. 
John  F.  McKee,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
William  G.  Mclntosh,  died  Jan.  20/62. 
Perry  C.  Mclntosh,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65. 
Dennis  P.  Morris,  r,  mustered-out  Dec.  13/65. 
Henry  W.  Meredith  r,  pro  sergeant,  pro  2d  Lt  Oct.  1,  '65, 

discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Alexander  A.  Myers,  r,  mustered-out  Dec.  13/65. 
Charles  Mallet,  t,  pro  1st  Lt  June  12/65,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Martin  V.  Manly,  discharged  Dec.  14. '64. 
James  Nottingham,  died  Feb.  4/62. 
Stark  Olmsted,  v,  discharged  May  29/65.^ 
Jonathan  Pruett,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  Perigo,  deserted  Dec.  1/62. 

William  H.  Reeves,  r,  pro  corp,  mustered-out  Dec.  13/65. 
Alfred  Smythman,  discharged  Jan.  28,  '63,  disability. 
George  W.  Smith,  mustered-out  Dec.  14/64. 
David  G.  Smith,  died  May  7/62. 
Benjamin  Y.  Smith,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Jonathan  Staton,  r,  deserted  June  21/65. 
Thomas  Scott,  r,  pro  corp,  mustered-out  Dec.  13/65. 
Edward  Sherman,  r,    " 

Harry  Troup,  r,  killed  at  Overtoil  Hill,,  Dec.  16/64. 
Harvey  J.  Thomas,  deserted  Mar.  3/62. 
William  J.  Wilcox,  r,  deserted  June  21/65.^ 
Barden  B.  West,  r,  mustered-out  Dec.  13/65. 
Ira  Yoman,  discharged  July  3/62,  disability. 

Recruits. 

Sylvester  Bennett,  Sept.  19/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Henry  Bishop,  Nov.  4/64,  discharged  Nov.  14/65. 
Lewis  I.  Bailey,  Oct.  15/64,  discharged  June  13/65. 
John  S.  Black,  Oct.  22/64,  deserted  July  10/65. 
24 


370  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Thomas  J.  Bennett, ,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

John  Beckdol,  Feb.  24/64,  discharged  Dec.  13, '64. 
James  Corn,  Aug.  29/63,  "  (i 

John  S.  Christopher,  Sept.  29/63,  deserted  Jan.  29/64. 
Charles  W.  Clifton,  Oct.  3/63,  pro  Q  M  Sergt.,  discharged 

Dec.  13/65. 

George  Cutsinger,  Oct.  29/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Isaac  C.  Denny,  Apr.  13/64,  discharged  May  17/65. 
Jesse  Dodson,  Mar.  24/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Charles  B.  Davis,  Nov.  3/64,  discharged  Nov.  19/65. 
Moses  Edgings,  Oct.  8/64,  discharged  Oct.  29/65. 
Amos  Easterling,  Sept.  23/64,  to  date  Dec.  19/63,  pro  Ast 

Surg  June  7/65.  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  A.  Gwinn,  Ang.  29/03,  dis  July  4/05,  disability. 
John  J.  Horn,  deserted  June  21/65. 

Ephraim  Haney,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Robert  F.  Humphrey,  Aug.  15/63,  discharged  June  5/65. 
George  W.  Hotenstein,  Sept.  19/03,  discharged  May  23/65 
Levi  Haney,  Sept.  29/63,  died  May  23/65. 
George  W.  Hay  ton,  Apr.  8/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
James  Hamilton,  Oct.  22/64,  discharged  Oct.  29/65. 

Robert  Johnston, ,  deserted  June  21/65. 

Francis  P.  Jones,  Dec.  9/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Samuel  D.  Kilgore,  Oct.  20, '64,  deserted  July  10/65. 
Thomas  F.  Landrum,  Sept.  12/63,  deserted  Dec.  25/63. 
Charles  W.  Lynch,  Oct.  12/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Elijah  Long,  Oct.  21/63,  discharged  Dec.  13. '65. 
David  A.  Lunday,  May  20/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Joshua  Matthews,  Aug.  10/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  G.  Messersmith,  Aug.  17/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  Musson,  Mar.  24/64,  died  Dec.  18/64,  wounds. 
John  N.  Maxwell,  Oct.  24/64,  discharged  Aug.  24/65. 
Edmund  A.  McClintock,  Oct.  28/64,  discharged  Oct.  29/65 
Hiram  H.  McClain,  Nov.  3/64,  discharged  Nov.  14/65. 
Warren  Marsh,  Nov.  15/64,  discharged  Nov.  14/65. 
Albert  Myers,  Dec.  8, '63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
James  M.  Owens,  Aug.  10/63,  discharged  June  5/65. 
John  Quarterman,  Sept.  2/63,  deserted  June  21/65. 
Michael  Ryan,  July  7/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  Robinson,  Sept.  19/63,  discharged  June  5/65. 
Naman  C.  Roney,  Mar.  24/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
George  W.  Reed,  Nov.  3/64,  deserted  June  21/65. 


V 

ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    C.  371 

Henry  Stafford, ,  dis  8  0  War  Dep  Aug.  3/65. 

Tyler  Stafford, ,  deserted  Feb.  25/65. 

Joseph  P.  Tyler,  July  7/63,  deserted  Sept.  15/65. 
Wm.  W.  Thoroughman,  Sept.  29/63,  dis  July  22/65. 
James  Tegart,  Feb.  2/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Benjamin  F.  Wheeler,  Oct.  24/64,  sub,  dis  Oct.  29/65. 


COMPANY  C. 

[Original  muster-in,  December  14,  1861.] 

Captain. 

James  W.  Sheets,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  pro  Lt-Col  Apr.  25/63, 
died  as  Capt,  wounds  at  Day's  Gap,  June  21/63. 

First  Lieutenant. 

Samuel  Lingerman,   com'd  Oct.  11/61,   pro  Capt  June  30, 
'63,  died  May  1/64. 

Second  Lieutenant. 

Aaron  T.  Dooley,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  pro  1st  Lt  June  30/63 
discharged  May  12/65. 

First  Sergeant. 
Charles  E.  Stephens,  pro  2d  Lt  June  30/63,  dis  Mar.  1/65. 

Sergeants. 
William  F.  Hadden,  discharged  Oct.  20/62,  disability. 

John  T.  Dinwicldie,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
David  C.  Lane,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
William  Kelly, 

Corporals. 

James  M.  Munday,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Joseph  A.  Munday,  killed  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  31/62. 
Joseph  Wagner,  deserted  Sept.  20/62. 
Calvin  Dickerson,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Floyd  Dickerson, 

John  C.  Call,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  V.  Parker,         "  Dec.  14/64. 

William  V.  Brown,    " 

^fumcians. 
William  C.  Welshans,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Wagoner. 
William  M.  Crawford,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 


372  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Privates. 

Gabriel  H.  Adams,  r,  pro  2d  Lt  May  1/65,  1st  Lt  June  1, 
'65,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Joshua  G.  Adams,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Francis  M.  Arbuckle,  discharged  Jan.  9/65.. 

Lewis  T.  Armstrong,  discharged  July  15/62,  disability. 

John  F.  Bates,  discharged  Dec.  14/64.  * 

Francis  M.  Brittain,  discharged  Aug.  15/63,  disability. 

James  Bryant,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Joseph  Brown,  transf  Invalid  Corps  June  23/63. 

William  C.  Clements,  r,  pro  corporal,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

Huey  Curtis,  discharged  Aug.  30/62,  disability. 

Charles  P.  Cox,  ?>,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

John  M.  Champion,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

James  L.  Davidson,  discharged  July  12/62. 

James  A.  Dickinson,  died  June  29/62. 

Arthur  Dooley,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Norman  L.  Dixon,     "    '  " 

Reuben  Eaton,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Richard  H.  Ellis,  died  at  Mooresville,  Ala.,  July  4/62. 

Thomas  Elburn,  died  Mar.  4/63. 

Mason  Flinn,  deserted  Nov.  16/62. 

John  Gasper,  r,  discharged  June  19/65,  disability. 

James  S.  Griggs,  r,  pro  1st  Sergt,  pro  1st  Lt  Oct.  1/65,  dis 
charged  Dec.  13/65. 

William  Greenlee,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

James  A.  Godfrey,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

William  Hancock,  transf  to  Corps  d'Afrique  June  20/64. 

Stephen  Hilton,  died  at  Mooresville,  Ala.,  July  2/62. 

William  T.  Hensley,  died  Mar.  29/62. 

Robert  C.  Hall,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

John  W.  Hensley,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Isaac  Hensley,  died  Feb.  6/62. 

Enoch  Hill,  died  Jan.  15/62. 

Jeremiah  B.  Hodson.  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

William  I).  Holder,  died  June  8/65. 

William  R.  Hartpence,a>,  pro  Sergt-Major  Nov.  12/64,  dis 
charged  Dec.  13/65. 

Jacob  0.  Iddirigs,  died  Apr.  12/62. 

Alexander  W.  Jones,  deserted  May  14/62* 

William  H.  Jelf,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/<>5. 

Cornelius  S.  Kurtz,  v,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    A.  373 

James  M.  Laiidon,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 

William  D.  Lewis,  r,   pro  sergeant  Oct.  1/63,  2d  Lt  Oct.  1, 

'05,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Tilmaii  A.  McDaniels,  killed  while  prisoner,  May  12/63. 
John  F.  McKinley,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Chares  A.  Me  Williams,  killed  at  Blountsville,  May  2/63. 
Archibald  Nesbit,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Charles  Newnam,  discharged  Nov.  9/64,  disability. 
Silas  Osborn,  killed  at  Day's  Gap,  Apr.  30/03. 
William  B.  Osborn,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/65 
Oliver  H.  Pike,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Eli  Phillips,  killed  at  Stone  River,  Jan.  1/63. 
Henry  C.  Rumney,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13,65. 
Thomas  N.  Runnels,  discharged  June  24/62,  disability. 
Thomas  A.  Reynolds,  died  Nov.  7/62. 
Henry  S.  Rounds,  died  Feb.  19/62. 
Thonias  J.  Shirley,  discharged  May  18/63,  disability. 
William  Shockley,  v,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Silas  Sturman,  deserted  Sept.  10/02. 
William  C.  Summers,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
William  A.  Summers,  r,  pro  sergeant  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
John  B.  Scherer,  discharged  Nov.  14/02,  disability. 
William  Sharpe,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
James  M.  South, 

Reuben  T.  Templin,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
James  W.  Tout,  -v,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
David  Thompson,  discharged  May  15/63,  disability. 
Elkin  Toney,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Milton  B.  Vannice,  discharged  June  28/62,  disability. 
John  F.  Williams,  died  Nov.  13/62. 
Henry  M.  Welshans,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Samuel  W.  Watts,  y,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  W.  Wells,  v,  killed  at  Overton  Hill,  Dec.  16/64.  ^ 
Elijah  C.  Whitaker,  r,  pro  chief  musician,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
John  T.  Whitaker,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 


John  Arnold,  Oct.  15/04,  substitute,  died  Dec.  27/04. 
Stephen  Alexander,  Oct.  15/04,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/05 
George  Bilheymer,  Mar.  28/02,  discharged  Mar.  28/05. 
John  T.  Bell,  Oct.  13/03,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Abraham  Barkley,  Sept.  23/04,  drafted,  dis  June  14/05. 
Andrew  Barkley,  Sept.  22/64,  drafted,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 


374  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Elias  Barkley,  Sept.  22/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 

Isaac  Barton,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

Joshua  Bennett,  Sept.  28/64,  drafted,  discharged  June  14, 
'65,  reported  also  died  at  Nashville, 

William  Bolton,  Oct.  19/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Edward  Bartleman,  Sept.  28/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 

William  H.  Burgett,  Oct.  20/64,  deserted  Mar.  28/65. 

Henry  J.  Craig,  Sept.  25/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Robert  L.  Carter,  Nov.  6/63,  discharged  May  18/65. 

Richard  Carman,  Oct.  14/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  3/65. 

Henry  Cobbin,  Sept.  28/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 

John  S.  Davis,  Nov.  6/62,  died  Dec.  15/62. 

Almond  Ducher,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

William  W.  Davis,  Oct.  19/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

James  H.  Davis, ,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 

Andrew  J.  Foster,  Oct.  21/64,  discharged  July  21/65. 

George  Gregg,  v,  Jan.  2/62,  pro  2d  Lt  Mar.  — ,'65,  pro  1st 
Lt  May  1/65,  pro  Capt  June  1/65,  deserted  Sept.  5/65 
dropped  from  rolls  as  deserter  May,  '65. —  [vol  3,  p  18. 

James  G.  Grasshopper,  Sept.  22/64,  draft,  died  Mar.  28/65 

William  H.  Gray,  Oct.  6/64,  deserted  Mar.  28/65. 

Frederick  Galliger,  Oct.  3/64,  deserted  Mar.  28/65. 

William  T.  Gilbert,  Jan.  21/62,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Alexander  W.  Hollett,  July  14/63, 

Eli  B.  Hodson,  Oct.  5/63, 

William  Hardwick,  Oct.  6/63.  "  " 

James  M.  Harrison,  Oct.  24/64,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 

John  Hyton,  Oct.  13/64,  substitute,     "  "    ' 

David  W.  Hamilton,  Oct.  6/64,  prom  Capt  Oct.  29,  '64  re 
signed  May  23/65. 

Noah  N.  Irwin,  Oct.  20/64,  discharged  July  19/65. 

John  S.  Leonard,  Sept.  28/64,  discharged  June  14/65. 

Martin  Lord,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 

Scott  W.  Lewis,  Nov.  2/62,  died  Mar.  3/63. 

Caleb  B.  Mendenhall,  Jan.  2/62,  died,  not  reported. 

Henry  Morrison,  Mar.  10/64,  drowned  in  a  well  at  Chatta 
nooga,  May  10/64. 

George  W.  Mumma,  Oct.  20/64,  substitute,  dis  July  10/65 

Amos  Mast,  Sept.  20/64,  drafted,  discharged  June  14/65. 

John  L.  McCammack,  Oct.  22/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Emery  Morrison,  Sept.  30/64,  substitute,  dis  June  13/65. 

Seth  Myers,  Sept.  28/64,  drafted,  discharged  June  14/65. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    D.  375 

Samuel  Norman,  Sept.  20/64,  drafted,  dis  June  10/65. 
James  Nenius,  Sept.  28'64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 
Harrison  Owens,  Oct.  2/62,  dis  Apr.  20/64,  wounds. 
Samuel  Patterson,  Oct.  14/64,  killed  Ov'n  Hill  Dec.  16/64. 
Josephus  Rumney,  Oct.  6/64,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 
Michael  Robbins,  July  24/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Patrick  Ryan,  Oct.  21/64,  deserted  Mar.  28/65.    (shot) 
Richard  F.  Raney,  Oct.  7/63,  dis  May  18/65,  wounds. 
Harney  Risley,  Sept.  28/64,  drafted /dis  June  14/65. 
Daniel  R.  Rice,  Oct.  26/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
John  T.  Sielhymer,  Aug.  3/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Silas  Strange,  Oct.  24/64,  discharged  Sept.  13/65. 
Jacob  Sawyer,  Sept.  28/64,  draft,  " 
Levi  H.  Sipes,  Oct.  22/64,  discharged  Aug.  3/65. 
Alfred  Snow,  Oct.  21/64,  discharged  Oct.  19 '65. 
Richard  F.  Watts,  Feb.  24/65,  deserted  Mar.  28/65. 
John  Walker,  Oct.  21/64, 


COMPANY  D. 

[Original  muster-in,  December  14,  1861.] 

Captain. 
Sylvester  R.  Brown,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  resigned  Sep.  5/62 

First  Lieutenant. 
Wilber  F.  Williams,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  res  Apr.  15/62. 

Second  Lieutenant, 
Leonidas  Fox,  com'd  Oct.  14/61,  resigned  Apr.  15/62, 

First  Sergeant. 

Marion  T.  Anderson,  pro  2cl  Lt  Apr.  30/62,  Capt  Dec.  11, 
'62,  resigned  June  16/65. 

Sergeants, 

Evan  E.  Sharp,  pro  1st  Lt  Apr.  30/62,  dis  Mar.  24/65. 
Seth  Marsh,  v,  pro  2d  Lt  May  1/65,  Capt  June  17/65,  dis 
charged  Dec.  13/65. 
Thomas  R.  Wetherald,  v,  pro  1st  Lt  June  17/65,  disch'ged 

Dec.  13/65. 
John  Curry,  discharged  June  19/62,  by  order. 

Corporals. 
William  Curry,  discharged  June  30/63,  by  order. 


370  F  I  FT  Y-  F  I  R  ST    I  N  D  I  A  N  A     H  1  •:  <  ,  1  M  K  N  T  . 

Porter  A.  Crawford,  deserted  Oct.  1,'62. 

James  D.  Rodman,  discharged  Dec.  14,  '04. 

Henry  C.  Duncan,  died  at  Greenfield,  June  8/02. 

Richard  Kinkle,  discharged  June  25/02,  by  order. 

Charles  Nelson,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 

John  Hook,  died  at  Jefferson  ville,  Mar.  28/02. 

George  W.  McKeihan,  discharged  Oct.  27/02,  by  order. 


Sebron  S.  Jones,  died  at  Bardstown,  Ky.,  Jan.  5/02. 
Asa  H.  Hewin,  deserted  June  3/02. 

Wagoner. 

Wilson  Rittenhouse,  died  at  Murfreesboro,  Mar.  20/03. 


Christopher  Alt,  died  at  Nashville,  Mar.  20/02. 

Howard  V.  Adams,  died  at  Savannah,  Tenn.,  Apr.  14,  '02. 

Hiram  C.  Adams,  r,   pro  sergeant,   2d  Lt  June  17/65,  dis 

charged  Dec.  13/05. 

William  C.  Adams,  pro  sergeant,  dis  Dec.  13/04. 
James  Bayles  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Moses  Burris,  died  at  Nashville,  Nov.  28/02. 
Taylor  M.  Burris,  discharged  June  25/02,  by  order. 
Thomas  Brown,  r,  deserted  June  19/05. 
Rufus  Basset,/',  discharged   Dec.  13/05. 
John  Commer,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
Ebenezer  Cross,  died  at  Nashville,  Mar.  20/02. 
Cyrus  W.  Creviston,  discharged  Apr.  17/03,  disability. 
Samuel  I).  Case,  died  at  Nashville,  Nov.  1/02. 
Thomas  Comar,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
John  W.  Dickson,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
Absolom  Davis,  discharged  July  3/02. 
James  Dorman,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
Isaac  East,  unaccounted  for. 

William  Evans,  discharged  Jan.  25/02,  disability. 
John  Ell,  deserted  Oct.  3/02. 

James  Eads,  r,  pro  1st  Sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Jerry  Ferrin,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
James  Grannis,  deserted  Nov.  19/01. 
Benjamin  Hudson,  discharged  Aug.  14/02,  disability. 
John  Hood,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
John  Hamilton,  died  at  Cicero,  Ind.,  never  reported. 
David  S.  Herbst,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13.  '<;.">. 


ROSTKR    OF    COMPANY     P. 

•lames  Hensley.  discharged  .Ian.   L/63. 

William  (\  Hewey.  discharged  . I une  25 ,'62, disability. 

Luke  Ilariban.  discharged  May  24/62. 

Oliver  P.  Hodges,  deserted  Mar  7.'(>_. 

.John  \V.  Johnson,  deserted  Mar.  2.V»2. 

(/harles  \V.  Lewis,  discharged  A])r.  29. '(53. 

Francis  M.  Mingee,  discharged,  date  unknown. 

Charles  Pool  died  at  Bowling  Green,  Ky..  Dec.  10/62. 

William  Peters,  r,  deserted  .July  9/65. 

James  Poison,  discharged  May  29, '<>:>.  enl'd  marines. 

Wesley  Poison,  died  at  Murt'reeshoro.  Jan.  31/63. 

Henry  Powell,  deserted  Oct.  31/62. 

John  Rittenhouse,  sr.,  muster-out  unknown. 

John  Rittenhouse,  jr.,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Nathaniel  Rittenhouse,  discharged  June  28, '(52. 

Daniel  Rittenhouse,  discharged  July  '24, '02. 

George  Robinson,  r.  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Jerry  Randolph,  discharged  Jan.  S/(>3,  disability. 

Jesse  Stump,  r.  discharged  Dec.  13, '(55. 

(u'orge  Slit'er,  discharged  June  25/62. 

James  F.  Snow,  died  at  Nashville,  Nov.  1/62. 

John  Terry,  deserted  Oct.  1/62. 

Samuel  (\  Thompson,  discharged  June  25. '(52. 

Ralph  L.  Thompson, 

John  H.  Vanvalkenberg.       "  " 

Klisha  Whorton,  died  at  Nashville,  Mar.  5,'(>4. 

Marcus  D.  L.  Weaver,  died  at  Nashville,  Apr.  14, Y>2. 

Joseph  M.  West-fall,  discharged  Nov.  7, '(52. 

Henry  Westfall,  died  at  Muufordsville,  Mar.  9, '(52. 

Henry  Winter,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

George  Windsor,  died  at  Indianapolis,  Aug.  'JO/i))). 

John  Yates,  discharged  June  24, '(54,  disability. 

Recruits, 

Frederick  Armstrong.  Sept.  2<>. '(54,  draft,  dis  June  13/65. 
James  M.  Archibald.  Oct.  3/64,  discharged  July  21/65. 
Hainan  Allen.  Oct.  13/154,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
'James  K.  Hanks,  Feb.  1(5, '(54,  discharged  Sept.  9/65. 
Eli   Hanks.  Apr.  10. Y>2,  discharged  Apr.  14, '(55. 
Austin  ('.  Heaman,  Jan.  1SJM,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Simon  Black,  Oct.  LV(;4,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Francis  Bibler,  Sept.  26/64,  discharged  June  8/65. 

Hoach.  Oct.  .'>.'«»4.  drafted,  discharged  June  6/65. 


378  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Reuben  I).  Barber,  Oct.  14/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/05. 
William  R.  Bone,  Oct.  15/04, 

Lewis  A.  Brickley,  Oct.  12/64,  dis  May  '22, '(35,  wounds. 
Alfred  Burkley,  "  deserted  July  11/05. 

Martin  V.  Buckley,  Sept.  20/04,  drafted,  dis  June  14/05. 
William  Bly,  Oct.  3/04,  drafted,  discharged  Aug.  21/05. 
John  Balzo,  "  "  "  Dec. .13/05. 

William  Chandler,  Oct.  15/04,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  10/05. 
William  W.  Christy, Sept.  21/04,  drafted,  dis  June  14/05. 
Martin  Clinesmith,  Oct.  14/04,  substitute,  died  Apr.  9/05. 
William  W.  Cline,  Sept,  20/04,  discharged  June  0/05. 
John  Chapman,  "  drafted,  dis  June  14/05. 

Solomon  Dill,  "         discharged  May  19/05. 

John  H.  Duff,  Oct.  12/04,  discharged  May  29  ','05. 
Daniel  Davis,  Apr.  10/02,  deserted  Oct.  20/02. 
Christian  W.  Fells,  Sept.  22/04,  drafted,  dis  June  10/05. 
Francis  D.  Foster,  Oct.  20/04,  substitute,  dis  Sept,  22/05. 
Solomon  Funderburg,  Sept.  20/04,  discharged  July  20/05. 
James  L.  Gilpatrick,  Apr.  7/04,  discharged  May  20/05. 
John  Goodmiller,  Sept.  20/04,  drafted,  dis  June  14/05. 
Jacob  Goodmiller,  "  "  •    "  - 

Frank  Galmeyer, ,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 

Henry  Gresh,  Oct.  3/04,  drafted,  discharged  Oct.  19/05. 
John  Gordon,  Oct.  12/04,  drafted,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Michael  Holland,     "         discharged  July  22/05. 
Joseph  Harrell,  Nov.  21/04,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  21/05. 
Davis  Higgin,  Sept.  20/04,  drafted,  dis  June  14/05. 
John  Karelin,  "  died  at  Mt.  Etna,  Apr.  10/05. 

Samuel  W.  Hamrick,  "        killed  at  Columbia,  Dec.  22/04. 
John  S.  Kerbox,  Aug.  25/02,  discharged  Feb.  12/00. 
Valentine  Kirsh,  Oct.  3/02,  drafted,  dis  July  22/05. 
Royal  Kingsley,  Dec.  4/03,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
George  B.  Lowrey,  Dec.  10/03,  deserted  June  17/05. 
John  W.  Lyell,  Jan.  18/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
John  Lahr,  Oct.  22/04,  substitute,  discharged  Oct.  19/05. 
Andrew  J.  McKinley,  July  23/03,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Simon  Miller,  July  12/03,  drafted,  discharged  July  21/05.  • 
William  Maddocks,     "      drafted,  died  at  Nashv,  July  3/05. 
William  Norvolt,  July  3/63,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  25/65. 
George  Ormsby,  July  19/63,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Peter  Pressey,  Apr.  17/03,  discharged  Sept.  8/65. 
John  Parks,  Sept.  26/64,  drafted,  discharged  June  14/65. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    E.  379 

t 

William  S.  Pedigo,  Oct.  13, '64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Alva  C.  Roach,  Aug.  5/62,   pro  2d  Lt  Dec.  11/62,    pro  1st 

Lt  May  1/65,  resigned  June  14/65. 
Jacob  Roller,  Mar.  81/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  H.  Redding,  Oct.  12/64,  died  May  14/65. 
Jones  Redding,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  21/65. 

Ransom  Redding,  Oct.  12/64,  drafted,  dis  Sept  15/65. 
Milton  Rodenbaugh ,  "     Oct .  19  ,'65 . 

George  W.  Schlenker,  Mar.  8/65,  discharged  Dec.  13,  65. 
John  F.  Schultz,  Sept.  26/64,  drafted,  dis  June  16/65. 
Jacob  Sheffield,  Oct.  10/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  17/65. 
Frederick  Stetzell,  Sept.  26/64,  drafted,  dis  June  16/65. 
John  W.  Shambaugh,       " 

Samuel  Straw,  Oct.  12/64,  drafted,  deserted  July  7/65. 
Henry  J.  Smith,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  discharged  Oct.  19/65 
Daniel  Stoner,  Sept.  26/64,  drafted,  dis  June  16/65. 
Hiram  Schoonover,  Sept.  12/64,  deserted,   bounty-jumper. 
Jacob  Smith,  Oct.  13/64, 

Wellington  Thomas,  Sept.  11, '63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Andrew  Thorp,  Oct.  17/64,  substitute,     " 
Warren  B.  Thorn,  Sept.  26/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 
John  W.  Walker,  Apr.  10/62,  discharged  Apr.  14/64. 
Conrad  Woebbeking,  Oct.  31/64,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
William  G.  Welch,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Jesse  I).  Wilson,  Sept.  22/64,  sub,  pro  corp,  dis  Oct.  19/65 
Andrew  Wolf,  Sept.  21/64,  drafted,  discharged  June  14/65 
Elijah  Walters,  Sept.  22/64,     " 
Jacob  Yeager.,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  discharged  Aug.  25/65. 


COMPANY  E. 

[Original  muster-in,  December  14,  1861.] 

Captain, 

William  Denny,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  resigned  Feb.  5/62. 
William  X.  Denny,  Feb.  23/62  ;  entered  service  as  2d  Lt 
Co.  G,  14th  Incl.,  pro  1st  Lt  Apr.  24/61,  pro  Captain 
Feb.  6/62,  and  transfd  to  Co.  E,  51st  Incl. ;  pro  Major 
June  30/63,  Lt-Col.  Mar.  17/65,  Col.  June  1/65,  dis 
charged  Dec.  13/65. 

First  Lieutenant. 
Daniel  Trent,  resigned  Jan  22/62. 


380  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

David   L.  Wright,   Feb.  1/62,   pro  Capt.  June  30/63,  dis 
charged  Mar.  14, '65. 

Second  Lieutenant. 
John  A.  Welton,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  resigned  June  20/64. 

First  Sergeant. 
William  S.  Marshall,  pro  Adjt  Nov.  29/62,  dis  Mar.  22/65. 

Sergeants, 

Samuel  W.  Dunn,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Henry  Gilham,  transf'd  to  120th  Ind.  Dec.  25/63. 
Weston  Howard,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
David  A.  Denny,  pro  1st  Lt  June  30/63,  res  Aug.  21/64. 

Corporals. 

James  S.  Little,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Martin  S.  Miller,  transf'd  to  V  R  C  Apr.  10/64. 
William  Hogue,  discharged  Apr.  27/63. 
Emanuel  Reel,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
William  W.  Johnson,  discharged  May  2/62,  by  order. 
James  Threlkeld,  transf'd  to  V  R  C,  no  date. 
Arthur  Hatfield,  deserted  Feb.  6/62. 
William  Purcell,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Musicians. 

John  H.  McClure,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Martin  Phillippe,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Privates. 

Robert  H.  Alexander,  died  at  Stevenson,  Aug.  2/62. 
James  Ashby,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Matthias  Berry,  r,  "  "  " 

William  Byers,  died  at  Nashville,  Dec.  25/62. 
Daniel  B.  Boyles,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  T.  Bruce,  discharged  Feb.  14/65. 
Henry  C.  Byers,  v,  pro  1st  Lt  May  1/65,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Moses  J.  Betcher,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Herman  Buchthal,  r,  pro  1st  Sergt,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
John  Byers,  r,  died  Jan.  14/65,  wounds  at  Nashville. 
Charles  H.  Colgrove,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
David  Cook,  transf'd  to  V  R  C  Apr.  30/64. 
George  Casey,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  L.  Chambers,  discharged  May  9/64,  disability. 
William  Chambers,  died  at  Muri'reesboro,  Mar.  6/63. 
James  H.  Crooks,  discharged  Jan.  3/62. 
Jasper  Cooper,  r,  died  Dec.  18/64,  wounds  at  Nashville. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY     E.  381 

George  \V.  Donaldson,  v,  deserted  July  3/65. 
David  Donaldson,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Francis  M.  Ellis,  discharged  Aug.  26/62. 
William  D.  Eeves,  discharged  Aug.  15/62. 
Ephraim  Foster,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Amos  Farmer,  deserted  Oct.  10/62. 
Andrew  Frederick,  discharged  Oct.  18/62. 
Mansfield  Gee,  discharged  May  21/62. 
Christopher  Godfrey,  discharged  Feb.  20/63. 
Augustus  Hoag,  discharged  Nov.  15/62. 
William  WT.  Harper,  transferred  to  V  R  C. 
Jacob  Harvey,  v\  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Lawson  A.  Huett,  died  at  hospital,  Feb.  27/63. 
Jackson  Huett,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Ellis  House,  pro  1st  Lt  Aug.  22/64,  Capt.  Mar.  15/65,  dis 
charged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  Justice,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
W7ilson  Little,  died  at  Indianapolis,  Dec.  21/61. 
Alfred  Little,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
William  Lamb, 
William  Lankford,    " 
Noah  P.  McClure,     "  ' 

Abram  McGankry,  discharged  Sept.  18/62. 
Levi  Moore,  died  July  4/62. 

William  H.  Martin,  died  at  Lebanon,  Ky.,  Feb.  10/62. 
James  H.  Norton,  /',  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  Pressey,  discharged  May  23/02. 
Joab  Peak,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Benjamin  Peck,  discharged  May  — /02. 
William  K.  Palmer,  discharged  Feb.  6/63. 
James  M.  Peck,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Peter  Phillippe,  discharged  May  25/62. 
Marion  M.  Puett,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Columbus  Parker,  r,         " 

James  H.  Parker,  died  at  Mooresville,  Ala,,  July  4/62. 
James  M.  Peck,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Jasper  Rader.  r,  " 

William  Reel,  r,  discharged  June  17/05. 
Alfred  B.  Racey,  discharged  June  19/65. 
William  Robbins,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Herod  Risley,  discharged  Nov.  6/63. 
William  Rowe,  discharged  Dec.  14,  '64. 


382  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Solomon  Stuckey,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Samuel  H.  Stuckey,  r,  pro  corp,  discharged  Dec.  13 /65. 

Levin  Sullivan,  deserted  Oct.  30/62. 

Elias  Shoemaker,  transferred  to  V  R  C  Apr.  10/64. 

Thomas  F.  Smith,  discharged  Mar.  27/63. 

Samuel  Snapp,  died  at  Bardstown,  Jan.  28/62. 

James  Stipes,  died  at  Murfreesboro,  Feb.  6/63. 

William  Shelton,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Samuel  H.  Seltzer,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Alva  A.  Sowers,  died  Jan.  1/65,  wounds  at  Nashville. 

Columbus  Sutt,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Noah  P.  Scott,  v,9  pro  2d  Lt  May  1/65,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

William  H.  H.  Smith,  r,  died  of  wounds  at  Nashville. 

Rankin  Steele,  discharged  July  18/62. 

Daniel  Smith,  died  at  Nashville  Mar.  25/62. 

William  Tapp,  died  at  Muhfordsville,  Mar.  10/62. 

Ira  G.  Thorn,  r,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Nashville. 

Solomon  Thorn,  discharged  May  21/62. 

James  H.  Welton,  v,  pro  sergeant,. discharged  Dec.  13/65 

Samuel  A.  Warner,  discharged  June  19/62. 

William  H.  H.  Wilson,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Tilghman  Whalen,  died  at  Sullivan,  Ind.,  May  22/62. 

Jacob  R.  Wanzer,  died  at  Lebanon,  Ky.,  Mar.  24/62. 

Joseph  Zerr,  r,  died  at  Nashville,  May  11  ,'65. 

Jtecruits. 

Jacob  Ahr,  drafted,  Sept.  22/64,  discharged  June  14/65. 

William  M.  Buck,  Aug.  21/62,  deserted,  date  unknown. 

Abraham  Brunemer,  Oct.  16/64,  died  Dec.  29/64. 

Jefferson  Baughman,  Dec.  21/64,  discharged  June  14/65. 

John  V.  Bishop,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 

Joseph  H.  Christy,  Oct.  18/64,        "  •" 

Alvin  H.  Clifford,  Oct.  19/64, 

George  Grouse,  Oct.  17/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Charles  Casey,  Oct.  21/63,  "  " 

Andrew  J.  Cooper,  Apr.  9/64,     " 

Joseph  Crabb,  Nov.  30/64,  "  " 

Washington  Crabb,     "  "  ft 

John  Davenport,  Sept.  21/64,  substitute,  dis  June  14/65. 

Harvey  N.  Denny,  Sept.  21/64,  drafted, 

Daniel  Diel,  Sept.  21/64,  drafted,  died  Dec.  18/64. 

John  Diel,  "       discharged  June  14/65. 

William  M.  Diel,     " 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    E. 

Daniel   Diel,  Sept.  21  ,'04,  drafted,  discharged  June  14/05. 
Jacob  Diel,  *&':* 

Christy  Dolen,  Oct.  28, '04,  deserted,  bounty-jumper. 
James"Eagan,  Apr.  -9, '04,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Edward  Frazier,  June  20/03,  unaccounted  for. 
Washington  Fairhui^t,  Oct.  17/03,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Patrick  Glanzy,  Oct,  28 /04>  deserted,  bounty-jumper. 
John  W.  Harvey,  Oct.  17/03,  pro  corporal,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
George  Halleek,  June  20/03,  dishon.  dismissed  Dec.  13/05 
James  E.  Hunnycut,  Oct.  17/03,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Willis  Hodge,  Jan.  1/04,  deserted  July  3/05. 
Martin  V.  Helton,  Nov.  21/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/05. 
Charles  W.  Ingersoll,  Mar.  3/04,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Josiah  Kierlin,  Oct.  10/04,  substitute,  died  Dec.  10/04. 
Alfred  C.  Kidwell,  Oct.  23/03,  discharged  Apr.— /05, 
William  Lincoln,  Oct.  15/04  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/05. 
Joseph  Myers,  Sept.  21/04,  drafted,  dis  June  14/05. 
Ezra  Poling,  Oct.  15/04,  subst,  transfd  V  R  C  May  2/05. 
Andrew  Poling,     "  "          discharged  Oct.  19/05. 

John  A.  Polum,  Sept.  21/04,  drafted,' dis  June  14/05. 
Peter  Phillippi,  Aug.  27/02,  discharged  May  25/05. 
Job  Riddle,  Sept,  21/04,  drafted,  discharged  June  14/05. 
Samuel  F.  Rork,  Nov.  30/04,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Patrick  Riley,  Oct.    24/04,  deserted,  bounty-jumper. 
Martin  V.  Small,  Oct.  17/04,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
George  S wisher,  Oct.  8/04,  substitute,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
George  Sickling,  Sept,  21/04,  substitute,  dis  June  14/05.  • 
William  Saladay, 

John  H.  Taylor,  Oct.  17/03,  pro  Prin  Mus,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
Samuel  F.  Terrell,  Sept.  22/04,  dis  May  31/05,  wounds. 
William  B.  Vestal,  "  drafted,  dis  June  14/05. 

William  H.  Watts,  Oct.  24/04,  discharged  Oct.  19/05. 
James  H.  Wallace,  Feb.  12/04,  discharged  Jan.  13/00. 
James  L.  Whitson,  Oct.  14/04,  substitute,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
Timothy  Whitmore,  Oct.  15/04,  died  Jan.  1/05,  wounds. 
Michael  Welch,  Oct.  24/04,  deserted,  bounty-jumper. 
James  Waugh,  Mar.  24/04,  discharged  Dec.  15/05. 
Van  S.  Waugh, 
Clinton  Wallace, 
Green  Wallace, 
Henry  York,  Oct.  18/04,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/05. 


384  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

COMPANY  F. 

[Original  muster-in,  December  14,  1861.] 

Captain. 
James  E.  McGuire,  com'd  Oct.  11/01,  resigned  Oct.  24/02. 

first  Lieutenant. 

John  M.  Flinn,  com'd  Oct.  11,  '01,  pro  Capt  Oct.  25/02,  dis 
charged  Dec.  14/04. 

Second  Lieutenant. 

Joel  A.  Delano,  com'd  Oct.  11,  '01,   pro  1st  Lt  Oct.  25,  '02, 
Capt  Dec.  15,  '04,  Major  Oct.  l',05,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 

First  Sergeant. 
Gideon  T.  Hand,  pro  2d  Lt  Oct.  25,  '02,  dis  Mar.  15/05. 

Sergeant^. 

Robert  Montgomery,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Thomas  J.  Morgan,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
John  A.  McLaughlin,  r,  discharged  May  8/05,  wounds. 
Leonidas   Smith,   pro  2d  Lt  Apr.  7/05,   1st  Lt  Apr.  10/05, 
Capt  Oct.  1/05,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 

Corpora  Is. 

Andrew  J  .  Pyle,  discharged  Sep.  23/03,  wounds  Dry's  Gap. 
Benjamin  F.  Payne,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
John  M.  Gatewood,  died  at  Nashville  Mar.  29/02. 
James  Hendricks,  deserted  Oct.  7/02. 
James  McCarty,  deserted  June  2/02. 
Ethan  A.  Kendall,  killed  at  Day's  Gap,  Apr.  30/03. 
Thomas  C.  Walton,  v.  pro  sergeant,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
Joel  Gatewood,  r,  pro  sergeant,  2d  Lt  Oct.  1/05,  discharged 
Dec.  13/05. 


Job  A.  Rowland,  discharged  Oct.  14/02,  disability. 
Elijah  Henby,  died  at  Nashville,  May  2/02. 

Wagoner. 
Jackson  McGrew,  discharged  Nov.  17/02,  disability. 

Privates. 

Joseph  H.  Allen,  deserted  Dec.  15/01. 
Edward  Ayers,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Henry  J.  Bowers,  r,  " 

James  K.  Bowers,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
John  Cassida,  " 

Henry  W.  Camper,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 


ROSTER    OK    COMPANY    F. 


385 


George  W.  Collins,  u,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13, 'Go. 

Joshua  S.  Crosby,  discharged  Feb.  10/65. 

John  C.  Banner,  r,  deserted  June  9/65. 

Joseph  Dennis,  discharged  June  10/62,  by  order. 

John  W.  Dicks,  r,  transfd  to  1st  U.  S.  Eng.  July  30/64. 

Mai-tin  Ihvyre,  transferred  to  V  R  C  May  1/04. 

Richard  Fosse  t,  ?:,  deserted  June  19/65. 

William  A.  Gilchrist,  discharged  May  2/62,  disability. 

William  Garland,  v,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13,  65. 

Robert  Gatewood,  died  at  Nashville  Jan.  28/63. 

Ellison  Gatewood,  discharged  Mar.  18/65. 

John  Goodrich,  discharged  June  8/62,  disability. 

John  Harry,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Silas  Henderson,  deserted  June  2/62. 

Benjamin  Heistand,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Hiram  Henderson,  discharged  May  5/62,  disability. 

Nelson  Hemphill,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

George  Howrie,  ^  ? 

Willis  Hord,  died  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  Apr.  16,  62. 

John  R.  Henby,  discharged  Apr.  25/05,  wounds. 

Oscar  James,  deserted  Dec.  15/61. 

Robert  D.  Kendall,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13,  bo. 

James  B.  Kendall,  discharged  Feb.  28/02,  by  order. 

Wesler  Kenderling,  discharged  Mar.^4/65. 

Lewis  Linville,  discharged  Dec.  4/65. 

William  A.  Linville,  r,  pro  sergeant,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

Levi  Lock,  died  at  Woodsonville,  Ky.,  Mar.  21/62. 

Smith  Martin,  deserted  Mar.  13/02. 

Fielding  J,  Miller,  died  at  Bardstown,  Jan.  4/62. 

Thomas  A.  Morrison,  r,  pro  2d  Lt  Apr.  10/65,  1st  Lt  Oct. 
1/65,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 

James  Moroney,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Robert  A.  McGuire,  deserted  Dec.  15/61. 

John  E.  McConnell,  died  at  Nicholasville,  Ky.,  Mar.  27,  02 

Samuel  A.  McKenzie,  discharged  Feb.^  12/02,  by  order. 

Edward  Newman,  discharged  July  23/02. 

William  A.  Overman,  died  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  Dec.  21,  01. 

John  M.  Overman,  deserted  Dec.  15/01. 

Gideon  Palmer,  discharged  June  16/62.^ 

James  Palmer,  died  at  Bardstown,  Jan.  5/62. 

Washington  Parker,. died  at  Day's  Gap,  May  3/63. 

Rufus  Perry,  transferred  to  V  R  C  May  31/64. 

25 


386  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Andrew  J.  Plank,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Anderson  Rhoads,  r,  deserted  June  19/65. 

Lewis  Rhoads,  transferred  to  V  R  C  Jan.  14/64. 

Robert  Rains,  died  at  Camp  Morton,  Ky.,  Jan.  11 

Adam  Shryock,  discharged  May  22, '02,  by  order. 

John  Shryock,  died  at  Indianapolis,  Dec.  29, '0.1. 

William  f .  Smith,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

George  J.  Smith,  v,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

William  E.  Stafford,  unaccounted  for.  (?) 

John  Stevens,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

George  Steele,  deserted  Dec.  15/61. 

John  Simpson, 

James  Todd,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Washington  Turner,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

George  F.  Walker,  discharged  May  15/62,  by  order. 

James  Whitcomb,  v,  deserted  June  19/65. 

Isaac  Winton,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

John  Yager,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Recruits. 

William  Armstrong,  Mar.  1/62,  discharged  Mar.  1/65. 
Alexander  B.  Ely  the,  Dec.  12/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Horace  G.  Bates,  Dec.  18/63,  *" " 

John  Baugh,  Aug.  27/62,  " 

Samuel  C.  Bird  well,  Oct.  1/64,  substitute,   dis  Oct.  19/65. 
John  C.  Campett,  Aug.  28/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Matthew  A.  Cherry,  Sept.  10/62,  discharged  June  4/65. 
James  K.  Campett,  " 

James  M.  Conaway,  Sept.  24/64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/65. 
Peter  E.  Clinger,  Sept.  18/63,  discharged  June  25/65. 
William  H.  Copp,  Oct.  23/62,  died  Shelbyville  Apr.  14/64 
Benjamin  A.  Dennis,  Sept.  4/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Morgan  Gaylor,  Oct.  21  /64  discharged  Oct.  19, '65. 
James  T.  Gatewood  Aug.  1/63    discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
James  Hendrickson  Sept.  24/63  "  " 

James  F.  Harrison,  Apr.  12/64, 

George  W.  Holbrook,  Dec.  23/61,  killed  Murf'b,  Dec.  29/62 
Thomas   B.  Hendrickson,  Sept.  10 /62,  substitute,  pro  cor 
poral,  discharged  June  14/65. 

William  Hutchinson,  Dec.  24/04,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/05. 
Samuel  Hawley,  Oct.  21/04,  drafted,  dis  July  11/65. 
.John  W.  Hutchinson,     "  discharged  July  0/05. 

Elijah  B.  Hester,   Oct.  23/62,  died  at  Murf'boro  Feb.  4/03. 


ROSTER    OK    COMPANY    F. 


387 


Silas  Hill,  Oct.  15, '64,  drafted,  deserted  June  lo    bo 
Hiram  F.  Justice,  Sept,  5/63,  pro  corporal,  dis  Dec.  lv>,J>.>. 
William  C.  Johnson,  Dec.  14/63,  discharged  Dec. 
Benjamin  F.  Jones,  Sept.  24/64,  drafted,  clis  Aug.  ..4,  bo 
Daniel  C.  Jameson,  Oct.  21, '64,   drafted,  transferred  to  \ 

RC  May  '24,  '65. 

Elijah  S.  Knight,  Aug.  18/63,  discharged  Dec.  13,  65. 
William  Kines,  Sept.  10/03,  discharged  May  29,  65. 
Samuel  Knoble,  Oct.  21/64,  drafted,  dis  May  26,  65. 
Amos  Kimball,  Sept,  24/64,  substitute,  dis  Aug.  4   60 
James  M.  Linville,  Sept.  10/62,  discharged  June  14,  65. 
Valentine  Langlmet,  Sept,  24/64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14,  bo. 
William  Langlmet,  Oct.  21  ,'<>4,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  19,  60 
David  Linville,  Oct.  23/62,  transfd  to  V  R  C  Apr.  10/64. 
Matthew  B.  Leonard,  Sept,  7/63,  discharged  Dec.  13,  b 
Sylvester  L.  Monronea,  Aug.  24/63, 
Neal  McClain,  Aug.  27/62, 

David  C.  McCowan,  Oct.  20/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct. 

James  Noland,  Sept.  24/64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/65. 

Samuel  Phipps,  Sept,  24/63,  discharged  Dec.  13,  60 
Joseph  V.  Post,  Sept,  10/63,  pro  corporal,  dis  Oct.  13,  bo. 
James  L.  Phares,  Sept.  10/62,  discharged  June  14/65. 

Robert  T.  Phares, 

James  Pyle 

Enoch  Rhoads,  Oct.  23/62,  killed  Crooked  Cr.,  Apr.  30/63. 

John  L.  Rhoads,  Oct.  6/62,  discharged  Oct.  3/6o. 

John  L.  Rodky,  Oct.  7/64,  substitute,  dis  May  26,  60. 

George  Rader,  Oct.  21/64,  drafted,  discharged  June  26,  65. 

Thomas  Ruse,  Sept.  24/64,  drafted,  discharged  Aug.  14,  60. 

Matthew  B.  Ross,  Jan.  28/62,  deserted  Aug.  9/62. 

Henry  E.  Ross,  Mar.  8/64,  deserted  Aug.  10/64. 

George  W.  Stafford,  Dec.  10/63,  discharged  Dec.  13,  bo. 

Charles  Shoemaker,  Dec.  9/63, 

LoonaL.  Sally,  Sept.  4/63, 

Isaac  H.  Storms,  Sept.  24/64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14,  bo. 

Abraham  Skidmore , 

Francis  B.  Sims, 

Zachariah  Scott, 

James  Stanley,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19,  bo. 

Charles  C.  Sellers,  Oct.  21/64,  drafted, 

William  Storms,  clied  at  Jeffersonville 

Dec.  17/64. 


388  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Levi  Todd,  Sep.  4/63,  killed  at  Dalton,  Aug.  17/64. 

Andrew  J.  Treon,  Dec.  9/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Anderson  Talbert,  Sept.  4/63. 

Isaac  0.  Taylor,  Sept.  24/64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/05. 

William  L.  Taylor         "  t( 

Joseph  A.  Talbert,  Sep.  4/63,  died  San  Antonio,  Sep.  30/05 

George  Walker,  Oct.  23/64,  killed  at  Nashville  Dec.  16/64. 

William  T.  Wicker,  Sept.  10/63,  discharged  June  14/65. 

James  N.  Winton,  Sep. '18/03,  died  at  Nashv.  Apr.  20 /04. 

Greenup  Weekly,  Nov.  4/02,  deserted  June  15/05. 

James  W.  Zike,  Sept.  10/02,  died  at  Nashville  Dec.  19/62. 


COMPANY  G. 

[Original  muster-in,  December  4,  1861.] 

Captain. 
Francis  M.  Constant,  com'd  Oct.  11/01,  res  Mar.  25/05. 

First  Lieutenant. 
Joseph  Y.  Ballon,  com'd  Oct.  11/01 ,  resigned  Feb.  19/63. 

Second  Lieutenant. 

William  Wallick,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  pro  Capt  June  30/63, 
discharged  Dec.  14/64.  « 

First  Sergeant. 

Abraham   G.  Murray,   pro   1st  Lt  June  30/63,   discharged 
Jan.  25/65. 

Sergeants. 

Elisha  Buck,  transferred  to  Engineers  July  24 ,'(54. 
Charles  B.  Mason,  died  at  Bowling  Green  Mar.  15/02. 
Jasper  N.  Brown,  pro  2d  Lt  June  30/03,  res  Nov.  11/04. 
William  Crooks,  died  at  Nashville  Sept.  18/02. 

Corporal*. 

Thomas  B.  Crooks,  r,  pro  1st  Sergt,  discharged  Dec.  13/05 
William  0.  Piper,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Francis  M.  Brown,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Caleb  Boggs,  discharged  Sept.  20/62. 

Louis  P.  Holman,  r,  pro  2d  Lt  May  l.',65,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Josiah  Metsker,  discharged  July  28/65. 
Aaron  M.  Hurtt,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Afatieidns. 

Allen  S.  Hurtt,  r,  transferred  to  1st  U  S  Eng  Aug.  8/64. 
John  Burgess,  deserted  Feb.  1/63. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    Q. 

Wagoner. 

Samuel  Jackson,  deserted  Dec.  21/63. 

Privates. 

Robert  Baker,  died  at  Stanford,  Ky.,  Feb.  19/62. 
Luman  B.  Black,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Thomas  Booher,  deserted  Mar.  27/62. 
William  Bolles,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65^. 
William  S.  Bolles,  c,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Thomas  R.  Bolles,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  H.  Bolinbaugh,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Philander  Boner,  discharged  Feb.  19/63,  disability. 
Michael  Bowas,  discharged  July  18/63. 
Joseph  Brown,  r,  missing  in  action  Nashville,  Dec.  16/64. 
William  C.  Bryant,  r,  pro  Q  M  Feb.  20/65,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Alden  W.  Bryant,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Lawrence  P.  Campbell,  discharged  Feb.  6/63,  disability. 
Avery  B.  Charpie,  r,   pro  2d  Lt  Nov.  23/64,   Capt  Dec.  15, 

'64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  Charles,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
John  Chit-ester,  discharged  Feb.  29/64,  disability. 
Ira  S.  Chitester,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  W.  Coan,  died  at  Munfordsville  Mar.  10/62. 
Moses  Clingensmith,  discharged  June  22/62,  disability. 
Hamilton  Crouthers,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Andrew  J.  Curtis,  discharged  Mar.  21/63,  wounds. 
Wilson  Deniston,  deserted  Apr.  25/62. 
Daniel  Diebert,  r,  transferred  to  1st  U  S  Eng  July  24/64. 
Francis  M.  Doles,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Alexander  Duncan,  discharged  Aug.  7/62,  disability. 
William  M.  Dunnuck,  discharged  June  28/62,  disability. 
Charles  Dyer,  died  at  Lebanon,  Ky.,  Feb.  19/62. 
Thomas  Ewing,  died  at  Nashville  Mar.  30/62. 
Thomas  Faley,  r,  died  at  Bowling  Green  Sept.  17/62. 
Jonas  Foss,  discharged  June  22/62,  disability. 
Sebastian  Ferguson,  r,  deserted  June  19/65. 
John  Gale,  transferred  to  V  R  C  Apr.  30/64. 
Jacob  Glaze,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
James  Hamlin,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Charles  W.  Harper,  discharged  Feb.  27/63,  disability. 
William  S.  Harris,  discharged  June  21/62,  disability. 
Nelson  Harvey,  deserted  June  2/62. 
David  Holmes,  deserted  Nov.  1/61.  (?) 


390  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

John  Holt,  discharged  Jan.  9/63,  disability. 

Charles  L.  Hoover,  discharged  Jan.  22/62,  disability. 

Edward  Hinds,  deserted  Aug.  1/63. 

Joshua  Jackson,  died  at  Munfordsville,  no  date. 

Martin  V.  B.  James,  died  at  Peru,  Aug.  15/63. 

Francis  Kannay,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 

John  J.  Kennedy,  discharged  Jan.  2/62,  disability. 

John  Kiles,  r,  transferred  to  II  S  Eng  July  24/05. 

Theodore  Kuhns,  discharged  June  27/63, 'disability. 

John  H.  Lame,  discharged  Dec.  10/63,  disability. 

Thomas  S.  Lay,  died  at  Nashville,  Oct.  7/62. 

William  H.  Lavett,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Oscar  F.  Loomis,  deserted  Oct.  1/62. 

Cornelius  Lucey,  died  Sept.  22/62. 

John  Malone,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Conrad  Metsker,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

John  H.  Miller,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Francis  M.  Moody,  r,  " 

Michael  Oliver,  discharged  Apr.  1/02,  disability. 

Francis  M.  Piper,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Benjamin  F.  Petticrew,  " 

George  Pomeroy,  ?',  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Jeremiah  Richeson,  r,  " 

Henry  C.  Richeson,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Thomas  Roberts,  " 

Frederick  Rupley,  " 

Eli  Shortridge,  discharged  Aug.  9/62,  disability. 

Nathan  W.  Scott,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Walter  M.  Still,  deserted  Feb.  10/62. 

Perry  Slagle,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 

Andrew  J.  Trimble,  deserted  Feb.  10/62. 

James  N.  M.  Tuttle,  deserted  Mar.  10/62. 

William  F.  Tudor,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Joseph  Walker,  discharged  Aug.  5/62,  disability. 

Alexander  Ward,  y,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

George  W.  Whiteside,  v,  pro  sergeant,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

Daniel  Wortemberger,  died  at  Bardstown,  no  date. 

John  C.  Young,  r,  pro  2d  Lt  Feb.  6/65,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 

Recruits. 

Charles  W.  Ashley,  Feb.  24/04,  discharged  Oct.  31/05. 
James  M.  Blystone,  Oct.  13/64,  drafted,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Josephus  Blystone,  Aug.  21/64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/65. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    O.  391 

George  \Y.  Burroway,  Sept.  30/04,  discharged  June  14/65 
Daniel  F.  Beckdal,  Feb.  '24/04,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
John  Combs,  Ang.  1/03,  deserted  Dec.  21/03. 
Alva  Copper,  Oct.  0/03,  pro  corporal,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
David  B.  Carter,  Feb.  12/04,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Nathaniel  R.  Carter       " 
Joseph  A.  Cowdry,  Mar.  9/04, 

William  H.  Downs,  Oct.  7/04,  sub,  trans  V  R  C  May  1/05. 
Henry  J.  Dunkelberger,  Oct.  8/04,  subst,  dis  Oct.  19/05. 
Alfred  Edwards,  Feb.  12/64,  discharged  Dec.  15/05. 
John  C.  Fremont,  Oct.  14/04,  substitute  dis  Oct.  19/05. 
Thomas  Gorham,  Sept.  20/04,  substitute,  dis  June  17/05. 
George  Gardner,  Aug.  25/03,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Thomas  J.  Griffith,  Dec.  30/03,  discharged  Oct. -19/05. 
John  S.  Hitchcock,  Sept.  21/04,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  15/05. 
Elmore  J.  Harry,  Oct.  18/04,  substitute,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
Jesse  D.  G.  Easier,  Oct.  8/04,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/05. 
George  W.  Heisler,  Apr.  15/04,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Noah  N.  Isam,  Oct.  20/04,  substitute,  dis  June  0/05. 
Jacob  L.  Kirkendall,  Sept.  21/04,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/05. 
Logan  Kell,  Oct.  18/64,  substitute,  discharged  Oct..  19/65. 
Isaac  Kelly,  Oct.  26/64, 

Henry  H.  Leavell,  Sept,  7/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Stephen  C.  Leavell,  Oct.  1/63, 

William  Lang,  Oct.  10/03,  pro  corporal,  dis  Dec.  1/05. 
Andrew  Murphy,  Sept,  21/04,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  10/05. 

Smith  F.  McKey,  Sept.  13/04,  drafted,  dis  June  25/05. 

John  F.  Michael,  Sept.  21/04,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/05. 

Nelson  Michael,  Oct.  13/04,  drafted,  died  May  25/05. 

John  W.  Miller,  Oct.  21/04,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/05. 

Robert  F.  McClain,  Sept.  29/04,  substitute,  dis  June  17/65 

Cornelius  H.  Martin,  Mar.  9/04,  transf  to  Co.  A,  86th  Ind., 
transferred  to  V  R  C , Discharged  Nov.  11/05. 

Charles  Purely,  Sept.  20/04,  substitute,  dis  June  17/05. 

Richard  Roberts,  Oct.  14/04,  substitute,  dis  June  10/05. 

Jacob  Simmons,  Apr.  25/03,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 

George  Sullivan,  Sept,  3/03,  died  at  Peru  July  19/04. 

Alonzo  B.  Shaw,  Oct.  20/04,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/05. 

Marion  Smarl,  Oct.  14/04, 

George  W.  Songer,     "  dis  Aug.  4/05. 

John  W.  Skidmore,  Aug.  0/03,  deserted  June  19/05. 

Peter  F.  Thatcher,  Sept,  21/04,  discharged  Aug.  14/05. 


392  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

John  T.  Taylor,  Oct.  15/04,  discharged  June  5/65. 
Squire  Taylor,  Oct.  0/04,  substitute,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
Seabury  Thorpe,  Oct.  14/04,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/05. 
Winfield  S.  Tipton,  Jan.  1/63  "discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
William  Westetfer,  Oct.  0/03-,  pro  corporal,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
George  W.  Woodruff,  Sept.  21/04,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/65. 
Francis  H.  Walls,  Oct  17/04,  dis  Feb.  28/05,  disability. 
John  Walker,  Oct.  12/04,  substitute,  dis  Sept.  7/65. 


COMPANY  H. 

[Original  muster-in,  December  14,  1861.] 

Captain. 

Clark  Willis,  com'd  Oct.  11/01,  pro  Major  June  17/02,  re 
signed  Mar.  17/03. 

First  Lieutenant. 

Thomas  F.  Chambers,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  pro  Capt  June  17, 
'02,  resigned  Mar.  10/03. 

Second  Lieutenant. 

James  W.  Haley,  com'd  Oct.  11/01,  pro  1st  Lt  June  17/02, 
pro  Capt  Co.  I,  Dec.  31/02,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 

First  Sergeant. 

Alfred  Gude,  pro  2d  Lt  June  17/02,  1st  Lt  Jan.  1  ,'03,  Capt 
May  18/03,  discharged  Mar.  31/05. 

Sergeants. 

Hiram  Mallory,  pro  2d  Lt  May  18/03,  dis  Jan.  25/05. 
Samuel  J.  Baird,  unaccounted  for. 
William  Willis,   pro   2d  Lt  Jan.  1/03,  1st  Lt   May  18/03, 

discharged  Feb.  5/05,  Circ.  75. 
James  Dunn,  discharged  July  3/02. 

Corporals. 

Emory  H.  Stuckey,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
William  Roberts,  r,  pro  1st  Sergt,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
John  E.  Pickett,  discharged  .May  23/02,  by  order. 
Joseph  A.  Bruce,  discharged  Nov.  10/02,  by  order. 
William  H.  Dunn,  r,  pro  1st  Lt  May  1/05,  dis   Dec.  13/05. 
John  W.  Manning,  v,  pro  2d  Lt 
James  M.  Falls,  died  of  wounds  Dec.  10/04. 
Samuel  H.  Dunn,  discharged  Dec.  14/04,  by  order. 

Musicians. 
Frederick  A.  Stuckey,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 


UMSTKK  <>F  COMPANY  H. 


393 


John  T.  Simpson,  r,  pro  Com  Sergt,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

Wagoner. 
Samuel  P.  Ruble,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Privates. 

James  R.  Alexander,  discharged  Oct.  2/6*2,  disability. 
William  F.  Atkins,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  W.  Bruce,  killed  at  Nashville,  Dec.  16/64. 
Elliott  Bruce,  discharged  July  14/63,  by  order. 
George  W.  Bruce,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Alexander  C.  Bowen,  r,  pro  corporal,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
George  W.  Burris,  r,  transferred  to  U  S  Eng. 
Leander  Bond,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Thomas  Chambers,  deserted  Oct.  1/62. 
John  S.  Cox,  r,  discharged  June  7/65. 
Peter  Collop,  transferred  to  V  R  C . 
Austin  P.  Cox,  discharged  Mar.  18/63,  by  order. 
Andrew  Cook,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Charles  Chambers,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
Harvey  J.  Cox, 
William  I.  Dunning, 

George  W.  Debord,  discharged  May  16/63,  by  order. 
Spear  S.  Dunning,  v,  discharged  June  14/65. 
John  Donaldson,  died  at  Paducah,  June  1/63. 
Joseph  Dillinger,  died  at  Stanford,  Ky.,  Feb.  20/62. 
John  R.  Edmonds,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
George  W.  Frederick,  died  at  Lebanon,  Ky.,  Mar.  14/62. 
William  Frederick,  died  at  Bowling  Green,  Mar.  11/62. 
Samuel  Foreman,  died  at  Bardstown,  Jan.  11/62. 
James  W.  Farris,  v,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
George  Frederick,  transf.  to  Y  R  C,  died  at  Lebanon,  Ky. 
William  S.  Getty,  died  at  Evansville. 
John  Getty,  discharged,  no  date. 

Thomas  J.  Hollingsworth,  discharged  June  1/62,  by  order 
Perry  Hollingsworth,  killed  at  Nashville,  Dec.  25/62. 
Thompson  Hollingsworth,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Albert  Hollingsworth,  discharged  Dec.  31/64. 
Milton  Hollingsworth,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  C.  Harbin,  died  at  Bardstown,  Dec.  29/61. 
John  B.  Houck,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Franklin  Jerrel,  died  at  Nashville,  Jan.  21/63. 
William  G.  Keith,  r,  discharged  May  21/65. 
John  L.  Keith,  v,  pro  corporal,  died  Dec.  30/64.  wounds. 


394  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Thomas  N.  Keith,  died  at  Nashville  Jan.  24/63. 

Frederick  Kixmiller,  died  at  Murfreesboro  Apr.  6, '63. 

Stephen  J,  Leas,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Christopher  B.  Long,  unaccounted  for. 

Henry  M.  Luking,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Edward  Limen,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

John  H.  Malcolm,  discharged  July  13/62,  by  order. 

Daniel  McKea,  died  at  Nashville,  Jan.  27/03. 

Eli  Myers,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

William   P.  McCliire,  v,   pro  1st  Lt  Feb.  10/65,  Capt  May 

1/65,  discharged  Dec.  13/0f>. 

Charles  W.  McClure,  r,  pro  sergeant,  dis  Dec.  13/05. 
William  H.  H.  McCormick,  died  at  home. 
George  W.  McKinley,  r,  pro  sergeant,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Thomas  H.  Paddock,  v,  discharged  June  14/65. 
Alexander  Palmer,  died  at  Bowling  Green,  Ky. 
Henry  F.  Piper,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Michael  A.  C.  Robertson,  r,  discharged  May  22/65. 
Thomas  B.  Robertson,  died  at  Murfreesboro  Apr.  17/63. 
Martin  I.  Ruble,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
William  E.  Steffey, 

George  W.  Scrogin,  r,  died,  Nashville  Dec.  21/64,  wounds. 
Joseph  H.  Scrogin,  discharged  Dec.  10/62. 
James  A.  Sanders,  died  at  Corinth,  Miss. 
John  W.  Setzer,  unaccounted  for. 
James  H.  Shouse,  r,  discharged  May  22, '65,  wounds. 
William  Simpson,  discharged  July  13/62,  by  order. 
Frederick  A.  Smith,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13,  '65 
James  H.  Stephenson,  v          "  " 

Harrison  Scrogin,  died  at  Nashville. 

Henry  M.  Thompson,  died  at  Murfreesboro,  Feb.  25/63. 
Benjamin  E.  Thorn,  died  Dec.  21/02. 
Frederick  Tellsman,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Elijah  G..  Teague,  v,   ' 
John  B.  Vincent,  v,  " 

James  Vankirk,  died  at  Louisville  Nov.  11/62. 
William  0.  Ward,  discharged  May  20/62,  disability. 
AVilliam  S.  Woodsworth,  v,  drowned,  Nashville  May  22/65. 
Miranda  Westfall,  died  in  Knox  Co. 
Clark  I.  Willis,  v,  discharged  Jan.  20/65,  disability. 
John  W.  Wilson,  discharged  Feb.  24/65. 
William  H.  Williams,  discharged  Nov.  10/64. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    H.  395 

Recruits. 

Thomas  Alexander,  Jan.  2:)>,  V>3,  died,  Chatt'ga,  May  5/64. 
Levi  H.  Booker,  Aug.  15/62,  discharged  June  14/65. 
Hamilton  G.  Bond,  Aug.*5/63, 

David  M.  Bruce,  Mar.  12/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  D.  Beaver,  Oct.  18, '64,  substitute,  dis  Nov.  19/65. 
Robert  S.  Brown  Mar.  9/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Jacob  Bugh,  Oct.  10, '64,  drafted,  discharged  May  — ,'65. 
(Carver  M.  Brown,  Jan.  4/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Richard  Burgess,  Oct.  20/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Alexander  Bolds,  Sept.  22 /64,  drafted,  dis  May  13/65. 
Giles  Borden,  Apr.  19/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Levi  Bowman,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 
Landis  Boyer,  Mar.  24/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
James  W.  Cable,  Aug.  21/62,  discharged  Sept.  1/63. 
David  R.  Chambers,  Apr.  9/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
George  W.  Craigmill,  Oct.  30/64,  substitute,  dis  Dec.  13/65 
Joseph  Creek,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  discharged  Nov.  19/65. 
Oliver  P.  Dunn,  June  23/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Theodore  Deafenbaugh,  Sept.  22/64,  died  Louisv.  Jan.  1/65 
John  B.  Farris,  Apr.  9/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  F.  Grizzle,  Aug.  15/62,  discharged  June  14/65. 
Bernard  Hollingsworth,  Jan.  5/62,  r,  killed  Dec.  16/64. 
William  H.  Hageman,  Apr.  8/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  Haget,  Aug  15/62,  died  at  Camp  Chase  May  26/63. 
William  Hall,  Oct.  16/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Daniel  Heller,  Sept.  22/64,  dis  May  24/65,  wounds. 
William  H.  Harris,  Oct.  19/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  13/65. 
Madison  Heaton,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
James  Hancock,  Oct.  24/64,  substitute, 
Jonas  Ikes,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 
John  G.  King,  Sept.  20/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 
Daniel  E.  Maddocks,  Oct.  17/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65 
Handsbury  Murphy,  Apr.  9/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Daniel  T.  Myers,  Oct.  18/64,  subst,  died  Nashv.  Jan.  19/65 
John  A.  G.  Miller,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  dis  June  3/65. 
Madison  McBroom,  Oct.  14/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Christopher  C.  McRea,  Aug.  21/62,  discharged  Feb.  24/63 
William  Miller,  Aug.  21/62,  died  at  Murfboro  Feb.  1/63. 
Elliott  H.  Pearce,  Aug.  15/62,  discharged  Apr.  26/63. 
Horace  S.  Polk,  "  discharged  June  14/65. 

Daniel  Pontius,  Oct.  7/64,  drafted,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 


396  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

William  T.  Richardson,  Apr.  9/64,  pro  corp,  dis  Dec.  13/65 
Samuel  A.  Risley,  Aug.  21/62,  died  Murf'boro,  Mar.  5, '65. 
Thomas  P.  Ruble,  Apr.  9/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
James  Rodgers,  Oct.  19/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
John  C.  Roberts,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  dis  May  27/65. 
Joshua  H.  Stuckey,  Sept.  16/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
James  A.  Shrock,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  dis  June  2, '65. 
John  B.  Sandall,  "  dis  Oct.  19/65. 

Allen  Sacra,  Oct.  14/64,  discharged  June  20, '65,  disability. 
Joseph  Shoemaker,  Oct.  18/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Alva  Townseiid,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  deserted  Aug.  17, '65. 
Aaron  Wolverton,  Aug.  7/62,  discharged  June  14, '65. 
James  Watson,  Oct.  16/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  Walton,  Oct.  18/64 /substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
James  Whitehead,  Nov.  1,'64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Matthias  Yoos,  Sept.  22/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 


COMPANY  I. 

[Original  muster-in,  December  8,  1861.] 

Captain. 
Marquis  L.  Johnson,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  resigned  Aug.  13/62 

First  Lieutenant. 
James  S.  Reeves,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  resigned  Dec.  8/62. 

Second  lAeufenant. 
John  Bowman,  com'd  Oct.  11/61,  resigned  Feb.  13/63. 

First  Sergeant. 

James  W.  Barlow,  pro  2d  Lt  Feb.  14/63,  Capt  May  1/65, 
discharged  prisoner  of  war. 

Sergeants. 
Frederick  J.  Brownell,   pro  1st  Lt  Dec.  31/62,  discharged 

Mar.  31/65. 

Arthur  W.  Sargent,  discharged,  no  date. 
Ephraim  Donavaii,  discharged  June  30/62. 
George  W.  McCauley,  v,  pro  1st  Lt  May  1/65,  Capt  July  1, 
'65,  discharged  Dec.  13, '65. 

Corporals. 

Henry  B.  McCauley,  dis  Apr.  29/63,  wounds  at  Day's  Gap. 
Marquis  D.  Losey,  unaccounted  for. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY     I.  397 

William  R.  Barlow,  discharged  Oct.  25/02. 

Joseph  S.  King,  discharged  Oct.  21/62. 

Joseph  E.  Campbell,  v,  pro  sergeant,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

George  Snyder,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Martin  V.  Williams,  t>,  pro  sergeant,  dis  Dec.  13, '65. 

Lewis  R.  Burr,  died  at  Louisville,  Jan.  7, '62. 

Musician. 
Francis  0.  Williams,  died  at  Lebanon,  Ky.,  Feb.  6/62. 

Wagoner. 
William  D.  Parker,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

privates. 

Leander  Z.  Burr,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
William  T.  Barlow,  v,  pro  sergeant,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Samuel  Barrow,    v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
George  W.  Boring,  died  Mar.  12/62. 
James  Berry,  deserted  Oct.  4/62,  ret,  dis  June  14/63. 
Aaron  Creviston,  died  at  Nashville,  Mar.  26/62. 
James  Chambers,  v,  died  at  New  Orleans,  July  14/65. 
Thomas  Coffee,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

John  Cart  mill,  discharged ,  disability. 

George  W.  Copple,  discharged  Dec.  29/64,  disability. 

Richard  Carpenter,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Jonathan  P.  Curtis,  deserted  Jan.  2/62. 

Henry  H.  Doolittle,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Charles  Davice,  discharged  Feb.  10/65. 

Samuel  Doyle,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Albert  Ellington,  died  at  Bardstown,  Dec.  28/61. 

Edward  Fogarty,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

William  H.  Fair,  discharged  Dec.  10/62,  by  order. 

George  W.  F arris,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

William  F.  Fry,  r,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  15/65. 

Harrison  Graves,  r,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Joseph  A.  German,  discharged  July  8/62. 

Charles  E.  German,  died  at  Bardstown,  Dec.  29/61. 

John  H.  Griffis,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Dennis  Garrity,  i1,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Charles  Gott,  v, 

Charles  Holden,  died  at  Stanford,  Ky.,  Feb.  1/62. 

Thomas  Harrison,  discharged  Jan.  1/63,  disability. 

S.  Hyner,  died  July  27/62,  disease. 

Rine  Houzlot,  deserted  Sept.  15/63. 


398  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Enoch  Hines,  died  at  Nashville,  July  27/62. 

Albert  S.  Hartley,  r,  pro  1st  Sergt,  discharged  Dec.  13,'*')."). 

John  W.  Hamilton,  died,  Greenwood,  '62,  unaccounted  for, 

Benjamin  Johnson,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Jeremiah  Johnson,  deserted. 

John  J.  Jeter,  transferred  to  V  R  C 

John  Jarvis,  died  at  Huntsville,  July  2/62. 

Joseph  Jarrett,  died  at  Nashville,  Dec.  7/62. 

Benjamin  Jones,  discharged  Feb.  28/63,  disability. 

Jacob  B.  Kitchen,  v,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

John  Kitchen,r, 

Joseph  Lowe,  discharged  Jan.  3/62,  disability. 

Henry  B.  Lipscomb,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Eli  L.  Marsrush,  unaccounted  for. 

James  M.  Manners,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

George  Martin,  v,  pro  corporal,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 

Benjamin  Martin,  discharged  June  9/63. 

James  Martin,  discharged  June  27/62. 

Ezekiel  McCurdy,  died  at  Indianapolis,  Dec.  18/61. 

George  W.  Moore,  v,  deserted  June  29/65. 

Charles  F.  Mount,  discharged  Mar.  — /63. 

James  McCoarte,  dis  Sept.  9/63,  wounds  at  Day's  Gap. 

Thomas  J.  Prescott,  deserted  '62. 

John  Wr  Phillips,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Martin  Philpot,  died  Jan.  18/62. 

Nathan  Klley,  transf'd  to  Inv  Corps,  wounds  Nov.  1/63. 

John  W.  Rum  rill,  deserted  Apr.  1/63. 

Andrew  Roach,  died  Feb.  22/63,  wounds  at  Stone  River. 

Ira  Roach,  r,  deserted  Apr.  3/64. 

Samuel  Smith,  died  at  Bardstown,  Feb.  4/62. 

Isaac  Simpson,  discharged  July  18/62,  disability. 

Abraham  Simpson,  discharged  July  11/62. 

Ransom  Smith,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Henry  Simpson,  died  June  19/62. 

Benjamin  Simpson,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 

John  R.  Trimble,  /;,  pro  sergeant,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

John  Tibbit,  r,  unaccounted  for. 

Lewis  P.  Taylor,  died  at  Bardstown,  June  15/62. 

Leroy  Wagner,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Henry  Willis,  deserted  Oct.  16/63,  dis  by  order  War  Dep. 

Allen  Warren,  died  at  Stanford,  Ky.,  Feb.  21/62. 

James  Wallace,  discharged  Feb.  8/63,  disability. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    I.  399 

George  Youngman,  died  at  Bardstown,  June  4/62. 

Recruits. 

James  Aldridge,  Sep.  6/62,  killed  at  Stone  Riv,  Dec.  31/02. 
William  H.  Arnold,  Sept.  1/63.  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Mahlon  E.  Blackford,  Sept.  17/63,  discharged  May  30/65. 
Isaac  Boring,  Apr.  9/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Haman  Backtell,  Sept.  26/64,  drafted,  dis  June  27/65. 
Christian  Bender,  Oct.  2, '64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/65. 
Francis  M.  Campbell,  June  30/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Silas  Cook,  Oct.  17/64,  substitute,  discharged  Sept.  12/65. 
James  Dowdeu,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
John  T.  Disinger,  Oct.  19/64,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Henry  H.  Englerth,  Oct.  24/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Thomas  Fisher,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  discharged  May  23/65. 
Samuel  Flinii,  Oct.  15/64,  sub,  died  at  Pulaski,  Jan.  10/65. 
George  Fellers,  Oct.  19/64,  drafted,  discharged  Dec.  13/65 
John  W.  Foutz,  Oct.  19/64,  drafted,  discharged  Aug.  26/65 
Henry  Fuhrmaii,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  dis  Sept.  15/65. 
George  M.  Green,  Aug.  25/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Joseph  Grey,  Oct.  6/64,  substitute,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 
Jasper  N.  Hushaw,  Sep.  1/63,  transfd  to  V  R  C  Apr.  -,'64. 
Engelbert  Hittenbrock,  Sept.  1/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
James  A.  Hill,  Sept.  22/63,  pro  corporal,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Isaac  B.  Harman,  Oct.  18/64,  drafted,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Henry  Heler,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  died  Jan.  22/65. 
Joseph  A.  Hendricks,  Oct.  14/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65 
Joseph  Johnson,  Sept.  22/62,  discharged  June  14/65. 
John  A.  King,  Dec.  16/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  N.  Kitchen,  Mar.  31/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  A.  King,  Dec.  18/64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/65. 
William  Kline,  Sept.  22/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 
Joseph  Link,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  discharged  Oct.  19/65 
Enoch  Martin,  Sept.  15/63,  discharged  June  14/65. 
George  Mugler,  Oct.  6/63,  died  Dec.  23/64,  disease. 
William  J.  Miller,  Oct.  13/64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/65. 
Obadiah  Miller,  Oct.  13/64,  drafted,  dis  Aug.  14/65. 
Jesse  Miller, 

James  W.  Miller,  Oct.  18/64,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  2/65. 
William  S.  Ogle,  Aug.  10/63,  unaccounted  for. 
George  W.  Owens,  Mar.  31/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  Phillips,  Oct.  18/64,  drafted,  discharged  July  13/65. 
Henry  F.  Pierce,  Sept.  30/64,  substitute,  died  June  8/65. 


400  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

John  Quinn,  Oct.  19/64,  drafted,  discharged  Oct.  19, '65. 
Cornelius  W.  Roan,  Aug.  25/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Emanuel  H.  Rotroff,  Oct.  19/64,  drafted,  died  Jan.  1/65. 
David  Renchler,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Lewis  Reapert,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  died  Apr.  1/65. 
Richard  Shaw,  Apr.  9/64,  died  at  Chatt'ga,  July  14/64. 
Cyrus  D.  Smith,  Oct.  13/64,  drafted,  died  Mar.  24/65. 
George  Soopler,  Sept.  22/04,  drafted,  died  Feb.  7/65. 
William  H.  Stewart,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Joseph  N.  Snell,  Oct.  19/64,  drafted,  dis  Nov.  14/65. 
Sylvester  Spangler,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 

Wesley  E.  Thomas, ,  died  Dec.  14/64,  wounds. 

Thomas  Tull,  Sept,  7/03,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
Charles  H.  Tully,  Mar.  29/64, 

Adam  Trout,  Oct.  13/64,  drafted,  discharged  Aug.  14/65. 
David  Welty,  Oct.  19/64,  drafted,  died  Dec.  28/64,  wounds. 
Aaron  Woodruff,  Sept.  30/64,  substitute,  dis  June  14/65. 
Solomon   Zurfes,   Oct.  15/04,  drafted,   died  of  wounds,   at 

Nashville,  Jan.  1/65. 
William  E.  Zartman,  Oct.  19/64,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 


COMPANY  K. 
Captain. 

William  W.  Scearce,   com'd  Dec.  8/61,   pro  Major   May  1 , 
'65,  Lt-Col  June  1/65,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
First  Lieutenant. 

Jonathan  Dunbar, ,  resigned  Mar.  20/63. 

Second  Lieutenant. 

Samuel  C.  Owen, ,  died,  no  date. 

First  Sergeant. 

Roman  Salter,  Feb.  23/62,  pro  1st  Lt  Mar.  21/63,  dis  Feb. 
23/65. 

Sergeant*. 

Allen   R.  Harris,   Feb.  18/62,   pro  Adjut  Apr.  13/65,  dis 
charged  Dec.  13/65. 

James  A.  Lawson,  Dec.  10/61,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
George  W.  Scearce,  Dec.  10/01,  pro  2d  Lt  Mar.  21/63,  dis 
charged  Jan. 25/65. 
Thomas  B.  Hawkins,  Feb.  22/62,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    K.  401 

Corporal*. 

Alfred  Gotten,  Feb.  22/r>2,  died  at  Terre  Haute  May  26.V>2. 
Solomon  Stanfield,  Feb.  23, '62,  r,  .deserted. 
John  H.  Moore,  Feb.  22, '02,   pro  1st  Lt  Feb.  28/05,    Capt 

May  1/65,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Joseph  Simpson,  Feb.  22/62,  dis  Feb.  18, '63,  disability. 
Jonathan  Grantham,  Dec.  11/61,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
George  W.  Kelshaw, 

Alando  Hemphill,  r,  pro  sergt,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

Marcus  Sperry, ,  discharged  Aug.  8/62,  disability. 

Musicians. 

Jeremiah  M  .  Mayes,  Dec.  11/61,  dis  Apr.  27/63,  disability. 
Ebene/er  C  Mayes,  dis  Feb.  22/63,  disability. 

Wagoner. 

John  Bockley,  Dec.  11/61,  died,  Green  Co,  June  1/62. 

Privates. 
James  V.  Arthur,   Dec.  11/61,  died  at  Lebanon,  Ky.,  Feb. 

13/62. 

Benjamin  F.  Adams,  Feb.  23/62,  dis  Feb.  18/63,  disability. 
Squire  M.  Adair,  Feb.  '2'2 /62,  r,  pro  sergt,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
William  Anderson,  "  ?', 

David  E.  Barnes,  Dec.  11/61,  r,  pro  corp, 
Henry  C.  Black,  Feb.  23 /r>2,  r, 

Abraham  Bensinger,  Feb.  22/62,  deserted  Apr.  2/62. 
Miltiades  Cash,  Dec.  16/61,  discharged  March  26/62. 
Peter  H.  Carnahan,  Feb.  22 /<>2,  died  at  Nashv.  May  16/63 
Fphraim  Carpenter,  Feb.  2/62,  v,  pro  1st  Sergt,  discharged 

Dec.  13/r>:>. 

William  rhappoll,  r,  pro  sergt,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

John  W.  Chappell,  Feb.  22/62,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
John  L.  Duncan  .  I  tec.  1  1  .'61 ,  died  at  Bardstown,  Jan.  13/62 
Jerome  W.  Dyers.  died  Feb.  K.Yio.  wounds  Stone 

River. 

Charles  D.  Eves,  Feb.  23/62,  r,  pro  corp,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
George  W.  Fuller,  Dec.  11/61.  discharged,  no  date. 
Henry  Fisher.  F<-1>.  -J:'..'^,  dis  Xov.  17/62,  disability. 
Hiram  Grider,  discharged  Feb.  28/65. 

William  B.  Goodman,  Feb.  23/62,  deserted  Oct.  30/62. 
Levi  Harna,  Dec.  15/61,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 
William  Holcom,  Feb.  23/62,  dis  July  1/63,  disability. 

26 


402  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Benjamin  F.  Hensley,  Jan.  29/62,  deserted  Oct.  18/62,  ret, 

deserted  July  9/05. 
John  F.  Hensley, 

James  A.  Harvey,  Feb.  23/62,  dis  Nov.  11/62,  disability. 
Ephraim  P.  Herold,  died,  Evansville  May  12/62. 

Matthias  Herold,  transfd  Inv  Corps  Dec.  8/63. 

David  A.  Harvey,  Feb.  22/02,  r,  died  Nashv.  Dec.  22, '04. 
Reason  Hawkins,  "         transfd  Inv  Corps  Dec.  8/63. 

James  M.  Kelly,  Dec.  11/61,  dis  June  28/62,  disability. 
James  M.  Lester,  sr. ,     "          dis  Oct.  4/62,  disability. 
Francis  M.  Leach,  Dec.  15/61,  died  at  Lebanon,  Ky.,  Feb. 

4/62. 

James  M.  Lester,  jr,  Dec.  11/61,  died  Evansv.  May  12/62. 
Michael  Long,  Feb.  22/62,  r,  pro  corporal,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
John  Long,  "  discharged  Feb.  23/65. 

William   McKinley,   Feb.  23/62,  v,  pro  2d  Lt  May  2/65, 

discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

John  J.  Mitchell,  Dec.  11/61,  dis  June  30/02,  disability. 
.William  Mitchell,  "          dis  Oct.  1/62,  disability. 

Benjamin  F.  Moore,       "          v,  pro  sergt,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Willis  F.  Moore,  Feb.  22/62,  v,  pro  2d  Lt  May  1/65,  1st  Lt 

Mav  2/65,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

George  W.  Powell,  Dec.  11/61,  died  Nashville,  Jan.  19/64. 
James  Parker,  "  dis  Dec.  10/62,  disability. 

Samuel  R,  Perkins,  Dec.  16/61,  deserted  Mar.  20/(>2. 
Jacob  Pitzer,  Dec.  11/01,  discharged  Dec.  14/04. 
Charles  Price,  Feb.  22/02,  transfd  to  U  S  Eng  July  25/64. 
Franklin  Price,          lf  "  " 

Jeremiah  L.  Rice,  Feb.  23/02,  v,  discharged  Dec.  13/05. 
George  W.  Richards,         "          died,  Louisville,  Nov.  4/62. 
Samuel  Racy,  v,  pro  corp,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

John  T.  Rose,  Dec.  11/61,  disch'd  Jan.  13/63,  disability. 
Joseph  Rees,  died  at  Nashville  Mar.  20/02. 

Solomon  T.  Stafford,  Feb.  23/02,  v,  trans  U  S  E,  July  25/04 
David  S.  Strain,  Dec.  11/01,  v,  killed  at  Overtoil's  Hill, 

Dec.  10/04. 

Thomas  E.  Stanley,  Feb.  23/02,  died,  Nashv.  Feb.  1/04. 
William,  H.  Smith,  "          discharged  June  14/05. 

Squire  Stepleton,  "         died  at  Nashv.  Apr.  27/62. 

Ditter  C.  Stringer,  "          deserted  Jan.  18/63. 

Eli  A.  Stringer,  Feb.  23/63,  v,  dis  Mar.  22/65,  disability. 
Joseph  Shuts,  Feb.  23/62,  missing  in  action,  Stone  River. 


ROSTER    OF    COMPANY    K.  403 

David  Snow,  Feb.  2:V<>2,  r,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
William  Sutherlan,  Feb.  22/62,  discharged  Mar.  13/63. 
John  Walford,  Dec.  11/61,  discharged  Aug.  19/63. 
John  AV.  Wolford,       "  deserted  Mar.  26/62. 

William  Y.  Weir,  Dec.  15/61,  died  Dec.  29/62. 
James  B.  Whitlock,  Dec.  11/61,  died,  Nashv.  Mar.  30/62. 
John  Wisner,  discharged  Dec.  14/64. 

Noah  Wisner,  "         died,  Nashv.  Aug.  14/62. 

Joseph  West,  dis  June  28/62,  disability. 

William  W.  Yeates,  Feb.  22/62,  r,  pro  corp,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 

Recruits. 

Samuel  C.  Astley,  Apr.  26, '64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Alexander  Bridges,  Oct.  27/63, 

Francis  M.  Butcher,  Oct.  10/64,  substitute,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
John  Burns,  Oct.  21/64,  drafted,  deserted  May  13/65. 
Thomas  Brown,  Oct.  25/64,  drafted,     " 
Daniel  Burden,  Oct.  21/64, 
James  Butcher,  Oct.  19/64, 

George  Coonce,  Apr.  12 /64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Joseph  Crown,  Oct.  21/64,  subst,  killed  Nashv.  Dec.  16/64 
Christopher  Clapper,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  died  Jan.  22/65. 
Charles  F.  Drummond,  Sep.  27/62,  dis  Apr.  6/63,  disability 
Taswell  Dodd,  Oct.  2/62,  pro  sergeant,  dis  Oct.  4/65. 
Roger  Doyle,  Oct.  21/64,  deserted  May  13/65. 
Dennis  Davis,  Oct.  22/64, 

William  Elder,  Jan.  6/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Henry  Feith,  Oct.  25/64,  deserted  May  13/65. 
JohnFlinn,  Oct.  22/64, 

Robert  P.  Grey,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Samuel  L.  Gadbury,  Oct.  10/64,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  19/65. 
Manoah  W.  Grim,  Oct.  3/64,  substitute, 

William  Grey, ,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 

Ge'orge  Green,  Oct.  22/64,  drafted,  deserted  May  13/65. 
Emaiiuel  C.  Garber,  Oct.  20, '64,  drafted,  deserted    " 
Abram  Hanna,  June  17/63,  died,  Victoria,  Tex.,  Aug.  10/65 
Abram  J.  Heavelin,  Sept,  20/64,  drafted,  dis  Mar.  —,'65. 
John  Higgins,  Oct.  20/64,  drafted,  deserted  May  13/65. 
John  Howard,  Oct.  25/64, 
John  Hays,  Oct.  22/64, 
Albert  Hodges,     " 

Amos  M.  Hanes,  Oct.  25/64,  substitute,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Marshall  Jennings,  Oct.  20/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 


404  FIFTY-FIRST    INDIANA    REGIMENT. 

Elias  B.  Keller,  Nov.  12/64,  dis  May  26/65,  disability. 
Samuel  Kemper,  Sept,  4/62,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Henry  Kiefaber,  Sept.  20/64,  drafted  dis,  Aug.  24/65. 
Richard  H.  Lewis,  June  22/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 

Thomas  A.  Lawson, ,  died  Dec.  18/64, 

Henry  Long,  Oct.  22, '64,  deserted  May  13 /(>:>. 
Ormal  L.  Musgrave,  Aug.  22/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Jacob  McMertrie,  Oct.  27/63,  discharged  D^c.  13/65. 
William  B.  Mahan,  Apr.  12/64, 
Justice  Minnick,  Mar.  9/64, 

Thomas  J.  Newton,  Oct.  27/63,  pro  corp,  dis  Dec.  13/65. 
Henry  Newport,  Sept.  20/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 
Michael  O'Conner,  Sept.  13/62,  dis  May  21) /<>'),  disability. 
Andrew  J.  Perkins,  June  17/63,  died  at  home  Aug.  16/63. 
Allen  C.  Parker,  Sept.  13/62,  discharged  June  14 /(>.">. 
William  D.  Parker,  Apr.  7/64,  discharged  May  29/65. 
William  Polsom,  Sept.  21/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 
Levi  S.  Ransopher,  Feb.  16/64,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Samuel  Richardson,  Oct.  4/04,  substitute,  dis  Oct.  4/65. 
Sanforcl  Reynolds,  Sept.  20/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 
Charles  W.  Salter,  Aug.  29/62,  discharged  June  14/65. 
James  P.  Sillery,  June  24/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/65. 
Jacob  Stepler,  Sept.  21/64,  drafted,  discharged  Aug.  24/65 
John  Sutton,  Apr.  8,'64:  died  at  Nashville  May  17/64. 
Solomon  Standley,  Sept.  20/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/65. 
John  Schraer,  Sept.  22/64,  drafted,  discharged  Oct.  2/<>r>. 
Daniel  Schearer,  Sept.  21/64,  drafted,  dis  June  14/<;:>. 
Alvin  B.  Tibbits,  Apr.  7/64,  died  at  Chatt'ga,  Aug.  22/64. 

Thomas  Tinsley, ,  discharged  Oct.  19/65. 

Joseph  Trump,  Sept.  20/64,  drafted,  dis  May  22, '65. 
Christian  Trump,  — — ,  drafted,  discharged  June  14/05. 
Levi  Whitehead,  Sept,  13, '62,  discharged  Dec.  13,U">. 
Joel  Whitehead,  Oct.  27/63,  "  « 

Samuel  T.  White,  Apr.  i>(>/(>4, 

Wesley  C.  Wyant,  Feb.  24/65,  discharged  Dec.  lV<>r>. 
Adam  Wolf,  Sept.  21  /(>4,  killed  at  Nashville,  Dec.  Kl/fU. 
Nathan  Wheeler,  Oct.  15/64,  substitute,  dis  Aug.  2/65. 

Henry  Worling, ,  drafted,  discharged  Oct.  4, "V>;>. 

Andrew  Worling,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  dis  Oct.  4/65. 
Thomas  J.  Yeates,  June  3/63,  discharged  Dec.  13/or>. 


UNASSIGNED    RECRUITS. 


405 


UNASSIGNED  RECRUITS. 

ACCOUNTED    FOR. 

William  Brown,  Oct.  3/64,  drafted,  transf  d  Co.  G,  21st  Ind. 

Levi  P.  Bivans,  Sept.  22/64,      " 

Joseph  Blanchard,     " 

Jacob  Harsh,  Oct.  19/64, 

James  Davidson,  Oct.  2, '63,  discharged  Jan.  10/65. 

George  W.  Fitzpatrick,  Sept.  7/64,  subst,  dis  June  14/65. 

John  Simpson,  Sept,  10/62,  discharged  June  14/65. 

UNACCOUNTED    FOR. 

Hiram  F.  Baxter,  Sept.  5/63.  Wm.  D.  Barbor,  May  20/64 

Wm.  Bennett,  Oct.  21/64.  Daniel  Bioden,  Oct.  22/64. 

John  A.  Dunbar,  Oct.  27/64.  Henry  Davis, 

Wm.  Ehlarding,  Oct.  3/64.  Joseph  Forunty,  Oct.  26,^64. 

Wm.  Linter,  Oct.  18, '64.  John  McMahan,  Oct.  19/64. 

Charles  LaPettitt,  Oct.  18/64.  Wm.  H.  Levillager, 

James  Martin,  Sept.  22/63.  Thomas  Myers,  Oct.  20/64. 

John  Russell,  Oct.  22/64.  Nathan  McCarthy, 

James  McMunigal,     "  John  Murrell,  Oct.  18/64. 

Patrick  Rengold,  Oct .  25 ,  '64.  John  Ragan ,  Oct .  22  /64. 

Geo.  H.  Smeltzer,  June  30/62.  John  Riley, 

Henry  P.  Stallsmith,  Oct.  6/62.  Charles  Willard, 

Alvin  M.  Smith,  Apr.  14/62.  John  Wilson, 

James  L.  Conklin,  Oct.  12/64,  drafted. 
Henry  G.  Colburn,  Sept,  28/64,  drafted. 
James  Glendering,  Sept.  22/64,  drafted. 
Marshall  Hale,  Oct.  13/64,  drafted. 
Darres  Hagall,  Sept.  26/64,  drafted. 
Frederick  Kannarnan,  Oct.  19/64,  substitute. 
Nelson  Moore,  Oc.  18/64,  drafted. 
John  Mason,  Sept.  22/64,  drafted. 
Ewenry  Moorse,  Sept.  30/64,  substitute. 
James 'M.  McCullough,  Sept.  21/64,  drafted. 
William  Snyder,  Sept.  22/64,  drafted. 
Marshall  Vance, 


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